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Animal model with structural similarity to human corneal collagen fibrillar arrangement

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Abstract

Rabbit and porcine corneas have been used in scientific research due to their structural similarity to the human cornea. Currently, there are no studies that have compared corneal collagen fibrillar diameter, interfibrillar distance and interlamellar distance between human and animal models. Ten pairs of porcine, rabbit, and human corneas were used. These were analysed using light and Transmission Electron microscopy. The collagen fibrillar diameter, interfibrillar distance and interlamellar distance were statistically compared between porcine, rabbit and human corneas. The human, porcine and rabbit; mean collagen fibrillar diameters were: 24.52 ± 2.09 nm; 32.87 ± 0.87 nm; and 33.67 ± 1.97 nm. The mean interfibrillar distances were: 46.10 ± 2.44 nm; 53.33 ± 2.24 nm; and 52.87 ± 2.73 nm, respectively. The collagen fibrillar diameter and interfibrillar distance of porcine and rabbit corneas were significantly different (p < 0.001) to the human corneal values but not form each other. The interlamellar distance of human, porcine and rabbit corneas was: 2190 ± 820 nm; 6460 ± 1180 nm; and 4410 ± 1330 nm, respectively. All the comparisons were statistically different, in porcine versus rabbit at the p < 0.01 level and both porcine and rabbit versus human at the p < 0.001 level. Histologically, all five layers (epithelium, Bowman's layer, stroma, Descemet membrane and endothelium) of the cornea were visible in all the three species. While neither animal model was structurally identical to the human cornea, they are both relatively close to being used as models to study the biomechanical effects of external insults/treatments to be extrapolated to the human cornea.

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Fig. 1

taken from the centre on each neighbouring collagen fibril. The RED line indicates th measurement taken from the centre of two neighbouring collagen fibrils. d Measurement of the interlamellar distance (distance between collagen fibrillar bundles). Three measurements were taken from parallelly oriented collagen lamellae

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Acknowledgements

Ari Samaranayaka ( Senior research fellow, Centre for Biostatistics, University of Otago, New Zealand) for assisting and approving the statistical analysis performed on this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, 270 Great King Street, P.O. Box 913, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand

    Sandeepani K. Subasinghe & George J. Dias

  2. Ophthalmology Section, Department of Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

    Kelechi C. Ogbuehi & Logan Mitchell

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  1. Sandeepani K. Subasinghe
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  2. Kelechi C. Ogbuehi
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  3. Logan Mitchell
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  4. George J. Dias
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Conceptualization: SK.S, KC.O, LM, GJ.D. Methodology, formal analysis and investigation, writing—original draft preparation: SK.S, Writing—review and editing: KC.O, LM, GJ.D. Supervision: KC.O, LM, GJ.D.

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Correspondence to Sandeepani K. Subasinghe.

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Subasinghe, S.K., Ogbuehi, K.C., Mitchell, L. et al. Animal model with structural similarity to human corneal collagen fibrillar arrangement. Anat Sci Int 96, 286–293 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-020-00590-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-020-00590-8

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