Corneal epithelial cell cultures on stromal carriers.

Exposure of denuded rabbit corneal stromal carriers for 24 hr at 37 degrees C to suspensions of rabbit corneal epithelial cells grown in tissue culture resulted in the establishment of a cell layer on the carriers. The cell layers persisted for at least 1 week of incubation and were one to three cells thick. They consisted of healthy-appearing cells with normal intracellular organelles and intercellular desmosomal connections. After 2 to 7 days of incubation the cells were still capable of DNA replication and produced hemidesmosomes and basement membrane. This system is useful for in vitro studies of substrate requirements for hemidesmosome and basement-membrane formation by corneal epithelial cells.