Use of specular microscopy to determine corneal endothelial cell morphology and morphometry in enucleated cat eyes

• Published in: Veterinary ophthalmology Vol. 13; no. 4; pp. 222 - 226
• Main Authors: Franzen, Angela A, Pigatto, João A.T, Abib, Fernando C, Albuquerque, Luciane, Laus, José L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Oxford, UK : Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.07.2010; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Aging - physiology; animal age; Animals; area; cats; Cats - anatomy & histology; Cats - growth & development; cell area; Cell Count - veterinary; cornea; Cornea - anatomy & histology; Cornea - growth & development; corneal diseases; density; disease diagnosis; endothelial cell density; endothelial cells; endothelium; Endothelium, Corneal - cytology; Endothelium, Corneal - growth & development; Female; in vitro studies; Male; microscopy; Microscopy - veterinary; microstructure; morphometry; normal values; pleomorphism; reference standards; senescence; specular microscopy; temporal variation; thickness
• ISSN: 1463-5216; 1463-5224; 1463-5224
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1463-5224.2010.00787.x

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of age on endothelial morphology and morphometry in cats. The corneal endothelium was studied using a contact specular microscope. A total of 18 cats (Felis catus Linnaeus, 1758) were evaluated in this study. The subjects were divided into three groups of six cats each in function of age: G1 (1 to 3 months old), G2 (5 to 12 months old), and G3 (24 to 40 months old). The examination presented data as endothelial cell density (ECD), average cell area, corneal thickness, polymegathism, and pleomorphism. Results revealed ECD decrease in corneas of normal cats with age, as well as a corresponding increase in endothelial cell area and pleomorphism. The present work suggests that the endothelial parameters evaluated change with advancing age.