Studies on the Cornea VII. Effects of Perfusion with a Ca⁺⁺-free Medium on the Corneal Endothelium

Abstract

Paired isolated corneas were perfused in vitro with a modified KEI medium according to the method of Mishima and Kudo. One eye of each pair was perfused with the complete medium and the other with a Ca⁺⁺-free medium. Progressive corneal swelling occurred in the Ca⁺⁺-free medium. The swollen corneas had a greatly increased passive permeability to nontransported nonelectrolytes, suggesting a physical change in the permeability barrier. Electron microscopic examination of the swollen corneas showed that the apical functional complexes (terminal bars) underwent progressive disintegration in the Ca⁺⁺-free medium and that the degree of this disintegration was correlated with the degree of swelling.