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Structures of the corneal limbus detected by laser-scanning confocal biomicroscopy as related to the palisades of Vogt detected by slit-lamp microscopy

Japanese Journal of Ophthalmology volume 53, pages 199–203 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

To examine the relations between specific structures detected at the corneal limbus by confocal biomicroscopy with palisades of Vogt detected by slit-lamp microscopy

Methods

Twenty-five eyes of 25 normal participants were examined. The presence or absence of the palisades of Vogt and limbal pigmentation were assessed by slit-lamp microscopy. The presence or absence of four structures in the corneal limbal area—hyperreflective parallel trabecular extensions, borders of bright-cell groups and dark-cell groups, hyperreflective cells and bright corpuscular particles with dendritic cell-like morphology—were assessed by confocal biomicroscopy. The relations between the presence of these four structures and the presence of either the palisades of Vogt or limbal pigmentation of the palisade ridges were evaluated by the χ-squared test.

Results

Only the presence of hyperreflective parallel trabecular extensions was significantly related to the presence of the palisades of Vogt (P < 0.01). The presence of hyperreflective cells was not significantly related to the presence of limbal pigmentation.

Conclusion

The hyperreflective parallel trabecular extensions observed by confocal biomicroscopy may correspond to the palisades of Vogt detected by slit-lamp microscopy. Further studies are needed to determine whether confocal biomicroscopy can be used to diagnose and monitor the clinical course of limbal stem cell deficiency.

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Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Yamaguchi, Japan

    Norihisa Takahashi, Ryoji Yanai & Teruo Nishida

  2. Department of Pathophysiology, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine, Ube, Yamaguchi, Japan

    Tai-ichiro Chikama

  3. Department of Ophthalmology, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Minami Kogushi, Ube, Yamaguchi, 755-8505, Japan

    Norihisa Takahashi

Authors
  1. Norihisa Takahashi
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  2. Tai-ichiro Chikama
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  3. Ryoji Yanai
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  4. Teruo Nishida
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Norihisa Takahashi.

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Takahashi, N., Chikama, Ti., Yanai, R. et al. Structures of the corneal limbus detected by laser-scanning confocal biomicroscopy as related to the palisades of Vogt detected by slit-lamp microscopy. Jpn J Ophthalmol 53, 199–203 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10384-008-0661-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10384-008-0661-4

Key Words

  • confocal microscopy
  • cornea
  • limbus
  • palisades of Vogt
  • stem cell