Figure 7
From: Effect of ethanol-treated mid-peripheral epithelium on corneal wound healing in rabbits
Representative images of transmission electron micrographs (TEM, ×40,000) of the basement membrane zone and scanning electron micrographs (SEM, ×3,500) of the superficial epithelium and microvilli of healed rabbit corneas on postoperative day 7. TEM: The lamina lucida (empty arrow) and lamina densa (black arrow) of the basement membrane zones were relatively well-preserved without disruption or undulation of the layers in all three groups, and the basement membrane zones were lined by electron-dense hemidesmosomes (white arrow; A, C, E). SEM: Epithelial cellular structure and microvilli were restored relatively normally without a definite injury in group 2 (D) and group 3 (F). However, a somewhat injured epithelial cellular structure was observed in group 1 (B). Group 1: 8.0-mm BSS treatment and 8.0-mm epithelial removal (A, B), Group 2: 8.0-mm ethanol treatment and 8.0-mm epithelial removal (C, D,) Group 3: 9.0-mm ethanol treatment and 8.0-mm epithelial removal (E, F); Scale bar – 1 μm (A, C, E) and 5 μm (B, D, F).