Assessment of endothelial cell density in bovine corneas after osmotically induced dilation of intercellular spaces.

Corneal endothelial cells were visualized in intact bovine eyes by specular microscopy of unstained and stained cell borders. The corneas were excised, and flat corneal preparations were studied by reflected and transmitted light. In the excised corneas, the cell borders were visualized by osmotically induced dilation of intercellular spaces, alizarin red staining, and a combination of alizarin red and trypan blue staining. In whole eyes and in excised corneas, the estimates of endothelial cell densities varied by less than 3% from one method of visualization to the next. Estimates of endothelial cell densities obtained in intact eyes at 1 mm Hg were highly correlated to, but 13.6% lower than, estimates in excised corneas. Estimates of endothelial cell density obtained at intraocular pressures of 50 mm Hg were 7.7% lower than estimates obtained at 1 mm Hg.