Autoradiographic study of retrocorneal membranes.

Fibrous membranes in the posterior cornea occur in failed transplants. The purpose of these studies was to investigate the role of corneal endothelium in the formation of these membranes. The corneal cellular components of rabbit corneas were labeled with tritiated thymidine. Labeled rabbit corneal stroma was replaced with unlabeled tissue (pre-Descemet's lamellar graft), leaving only labeled endothelium. Weeks later small unlabeled penetrating grafts, without endothelium, were placed inside this lamellar graft. The surrounding labeled host endothelial cells were found in a fine retrograft membrane and in the scar of grafts. The experiment demonstrated that host endothelial cells participate in the formation of retrograft membranes, but it does not exclude other origin of fibroblasts.