Abrams G A, Schaus S S, Goodman S L, Nealey P F, Murphy C J
Department of Surgical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin at Madison, 53706, USA.
Cornea. 2000 Jan;19(1):57-64. doi: 10.1097/00003226-200001000-00012.
Quantitatively define and compare the nanoscale topography of the corneal epithelial basement membrane (anterior basement membrane) and Descemet's membrane (posterior basement membrane) of the human.
Human corneas not suitable for transplantation were obtained from the Wisconsin Eye Bank. The corneas were placed in 2.5 mM EDTA for 2.5 h or 30 min. for removal of the epithelium or endothelium, respectively. After removal of the overlying cells, specimens were fixed in 2% glutaraldehyde and either examined in this state by atomic force microscopy only or dehydrated through an ethanol series and prepared for transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM).
The subepithelial and subendothelial basement membrane surfaces have a similar appearance that consists of an interwoven meshwork of fibers and pores. Topographic feature sizes were found to be in the nanometer size range with the epithelial basement membrane features larger and less densely packed than Descemet's membrane features. The topographic features are fractile in nature and increase surface area for cell contact.
With the use of the TEM, SEM, and AFM, a detailed description of the surface topography of corneal epithelial basement membrane and Descemet's membrane of the human cornea are provided. The significance of differences in corneal basement membrane topography may reflect differences in function of the overlying cells or may be related to differences in cell migration and turnover patterns between the epithelium and endothelium.
定量定义并比较人角膜上皮基底膜（前基底膜）和Descemet膜（后基底膜）的纳米级形貌。
从威斯康星眼库获取不适合移植的人角膜。将角膜分别置于2.5 mM乙二胺四乙酸（EDTA）中2.5小时或30分钟，以分别去除上皮或内皮。去除覆盖细胞后，将标本固定于2%戊二醛中，要么仅在此状态下通过原子力显微镜检查，要么经乙醇系列脱水后制备用于透射电子显微镜（TEM）、扫描电子显微镜（SEM）和原子力显微镜（AFM）检查。
上皮下和内皮下单层基底膜表面具有相似外观，由纤维和孔隙交织而成的网络组成。发现形貌特征尺寸在纳米范围内，上皮基底膜特征比Descemet膜特征更大且排列更稀疏。这些形貌特征本质上是分形的，增加了细胞接触的表面积。
通过使用TEM、SEM和AFM，提供了人角膜上皮基底膜和Descemet膜表面形貌的详细描述。角膜基底膜形貌差异的意义可能反映了覆盖细胞功能的差异，或者可能与上皮和内皮之间细胞迁移和更新模式的差异有关。
