Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, 270 Great King Street, P.O. Box 913, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.
Ophthalmology Section, Department of Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Anat Sci Int. 2021 Mar;96(2):286-293. doi: 10.1007/s12565-020-00590-8. Epub 2021 Jan 3.
Rabbit and porcine corneas have been used in scientific research due to their structural similarity to the human cornea. Currently, there are no studies that have compared corneal collagen fibrillar diameter, interfibrillar distance and interlamellar distance between human and animal models. Ten pairs of porcine, rabbit, and human corneas were used. These were analysed using light and Transmission Electron microscopy. The collagen fibrillar diameter, interfibrillar distance and interlamellar distance were statistically compared between porcine, rabbit and human corneas. The human, porcine and rabbit; mean collagen fibrillar diameters were: 24.52 ± 2.09 nm; 32.87 ± 0.87 nm; and 33.67 ± 1.97 nm. The mean interfibrillar distances were: 46.10 ± 2.44 nm; 53.33 ± 2.24 nm; and 52.87 ± 2.73 nm, respectively. The collagen fibrillar diameter and interfibrillar distance of porcine and rabbit corneas were significantly different (p < 0.001) to the human corneal values but not form each other. The interlamellar distance of human, porcine and rabbit corneas was: 2190 ± 820 nm; 6460 ± 1180 nm; and 4410 ± 1330 nm, respectively. All the comparisons were statistically different, in porcine versus rabbit at the p < 0.01 level and both porcine and rabbit versus human at the p < 0.001 level. Histologically, all five layers (epithelium, Bowman's layer, stroma, Descemet membrane and endothelium) of the cornea were visible in all the three species. While neither animal model was structurally identical to the human cornea, they are both relatively close to being used as models to study the biomechanical effects of external insults/treatments to be extrapolated to the human cornea.
兔和猪角膜由于其与人类角膜的结构相似，已被用于科学研究。目前，还没有研究比较过人类和动物模型的角膜胶原纤维直径、纤维间距离和板层间距离。使用了 10 对猪、兔和人角膜进行分析。这些角膜使用光镜和透射电镜进行了分析。对猪、兔和人角膜的胶原纤维直径、纤维间距离和板层间距离进行了统计学比较。人类、猪和兔的平均胶原纤维直径分别为：24.52±2.09nm；32.87±0.87nm；33.67±1.97nm。平均纤维间距离分别为：46.10±2.44nm；53.33±2.24nm；52.87±2.73nm。猪和兔角膜的胶原纤维直径和纤维间距离与人类角膜值显著不同（p<0.001），但彼此之间无差异。人类、猪和兔角膜的板层间距离分别为：2190±820nm；6460±1180nm；4410±1330nm。所有比较均有统计学差异，猪与兔相比，p<0.01；猪和兔与人相比，p<0.001。组织学上，三种动物的角膜均可见 5 层（上皮、Bowman 层、基质、Descemet 膜和内皮）。虽然这两种动物模型都与人类角膜的结构不完全相同，但它们都相对接近被用作模型，以研究外部冲击/治疗对人类角膜的生物力学影响。
