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. 2013 Apr;32(4):483-90.
doi: 10.1097/ICO.0b013e318265682c.

Morphologic alterations of the palpebral conjunctival epithelium in a dry eye model

Johanna T Henriksson  1 , Cintia S De Paiva, William Farley, Stephen C Pflugfelder, Alan R Burns, Jan P G Bergmanson
Affiliations

Morphologic alterations of the palpebral conjunctival epithelium in a dry eye model

Johanna T Henriksson et al. Cornea. 2013 Apr.

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the normal palpebral conjunctival histology in C57BL/6 mice and the structural changes that occur in a dry eye model.

Methods: Twenty-four male and female C57BL/6 mice, 8 untreated and 16 exposed to experimental ocular surface desiccating stress (DS). Ocular dryness was induced by administration of scopolamine hydrobromide (0.5 mg/0.2 mL) four times a day for 5 days (DS5) or 10 days (DS10). Counts and measurements were obtained using anatomical reference points, and goblet cell density was investigated with a variety of stains.

Results: Near the junction between the lid margin and the normal palpebral conjunctiva, the epithelium had an average thickness of 45.6 ± 10.5 μm, 8.8 ± 2.0 cell layers, versus 37.7 ± 5.6 μm, 7.4 ± 1.3 layers in DS10 (P < 0.05). In the goblet cell-populated palpebral region, the normal epithelium was thicker (P < 0.05) than on DS5 and DS10. In the control, 43% of the goblet cells were covered by squamous epithelium compared with 58% (DS5) and 63% (DS10) (P < 0.05). A decreased number of periodic acid-Schiff (PAS)-stained goblet cells and Alcian blue-stained goblet cells were observed in the dry eye. Not all goblet cells were stained with PAS and Alcian blue.

Conclusion: The mouse palpebral conjunctival epithelium was structurally similar to the human. After DS, the palpebral conjunctival epithelium decreased in thickness and goblet cell access to the surface seemed to be inhibited by surrounding epithelial cells, potentially slowing down their migration to the surface. Differential staining with PAS and Alcian blue suggests that there may be different subtypes of conjunctival goblet cells.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Normal palpebral conjunctiva illustrating its three regions in toluidine blue plastic embedded sections. M=Marginal, C=Central and F=Forniceal. Close to the lid margin (arrow) is the stratified multi-layered epithelium thickest and devoid of goblet cells. The region where the goblet cells are present is indicated between the two white arrow heads (triangles). (Magnification 100X).
Figure 2
Figure 2
(A) Average number of goblet cells (GC) in toluidine blue plastic embedded sections. No statistical significance (P > 0.05) was found between the number of goblet cells between the superior and inferior lids or between the three conditions. (B) Percent covered goblet cells (GC). Data showed a statistically significant difference in percent covered goblet cells between the 5 and 10 day dry eye. Data are presented as average ± SD. Asterisk = (P < 0.05).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Micrographs illustrating goblet cells at the surface (A) or covered by epithelial cells (B) and (C). Bar = 5μm
Figure 4
Figure 4
The same region of the conjunctiva stained with three different stains. Images illustrates that same goblet cell is not stained with all three stains. A = MUC5AC, B= Alcian blue and C= Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS). Arrows indicate two apparent examples. Black arrows = Example 1 and White arrows = Example 2. (Magnification 400X).
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