[The organization and development of the endothelial layer of the cornea in human embryogenesis]

The main bulk of corneal endothelial cells is formed during early embryonic development. In the course of development, two-layered endothelium becomes single-layered; the cell layer consists of rosette-like structures formed of a central cell (9 to 10% of all endothelial cells) surrounded by peripheral cells. The central cell is not a stem cell, and the peripheral cells are not its descendants. The presence in corneal endothelium of a constant number of peripheral cells surrounding the central cell, as in other epithelia with different proliferative potential, is evidence that the central cells can organize the peripheral cells and exercise control over them.