J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  1963 Jan;4(1):7-18.

Study on the Nerve Regeneration in The Treansplanted Cornea-Grafts of the Rabbits

• Park BI
• Hong SM
• Lee CK

Abstract

The regeneration of corneal nerve in the graft after penetrating partial homo-keratoplasty had been observed histologically in the experimental rabbits and also the influence of thiamine hydrochloride on nerve regeneration had been studied. Cornea-grafts obtained from the central portion of the cornea by 6 mm trephine were transplanted each other among the rabbits and given 8 sutures in situ under deep sodium pentobarbital anesthesia. Thiamine hydrochloride were given daily does of 5 mg/kg body weight to the grouped rabbits intramuscularly. Enuculeations were done in 5 days, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 27 weeks after transplantation. Preparations were made with 10-15 micro paraffiserial sections, both of cross and flat, and modified Romanes' silver stain was applied. The results were as follows: 1) Control group: In 5 days after operation, fine nerve fibes were regenerated from the cutted nerve stumps of the host-cornea. After I weeks, nerve plexus were formed in the host-cornea around scar tissue and few fibers penetrated into the scar tissue. After 2 weeks, fine regenerating nerve fibers were found in the transplanted cornea-grafts. Thereafter, numbers and size of the regenerated nerve fibers increased gradually. In 9 weeks after transplantation, nerve innervation in the transplanted cornea-graft was similar to normal cornea. 2) Thiamine hydrochloride treated group: In 5 days after operation, fine regenerating nerve sprouts from the cutted nerves tumps in the host-cornea formed loose nerve plexus and few fibers penetrated into the scar tissue. After 1 week, regenerating nerve fibers were already found in the periphery of the transplanted cornea-grafts. In process of experimental time, nerve fibers in the cornea-grafts more actively regenerated compared with control group. In 7 weeks after homo-corneal transplatation, nerve innervation in the grafts was the same as normal cornea. 3) Thiamine hydrochloride remarkably accelerated nerve regeneration in the transplanted cornea-grafts after penetrating partial homo-keratoplasty.

MeSH Terms

Anesthesia
Body Weight
Cicatrix
Cornea
Nerve Fibers
Nerve Regeneration*
Pentobarbital
Rabbits*
Regeneration
Silver
Sodium
Sutures
Thiamine
Transplants
Pentobarbital
Silver
Sodium
Thiamine