[Evaluation of the corneal epithelium kinetics using cell proliferation markers].

Purpose: In order to maintain its clear and uniform structure, the corneal epithelium needs constant equilibrium between production (division) and desquamation of its epithelial cells. The author aimed to evaluate the cell kinetics of corneal epithelium of rabbits in three situations (control, hypoproliferation and hyperproliferation) using BrdU, Ki-67/MIB-1 and AgNORs proliferation markers.

Methods: Fifteen white female rabbits had their eyes randomly divided into three groups (A, B and. C). Group A included eyes submitted to phosphate buffer saline instillation (total 10 eyes); group B, instillation of phosphate buffer saline after removing a 10 mm central area of the corneal epithelium (total 10 eyes) and group C, instillation of 5-fluorouracil in normal epithelium (total 10 eyes).

Results: The results of the mean number and standard deviation of the marked cells using BrdU in groups A, B e C were, respectively, 7.17 +/- 0.74; 35.00 +/- 3.01 e 0.22 +/- 0.1 marked cells per 100 basal cells. Differences among groups were statistically significant. The mean number and standard deviation of the labelled cells using Ki-67 were 7.55 +/- 1.22 in group A; 35.55 +/- 3.84 in group B and 0.34 +/- 0.14 in group C. Differences among groups were statistically significant. The mean area and standard deviation of NORs in group A were 1.92 +/- 0.24, in group B, 3.61 +/- 0.27 and in group C, 1.71 +/- 0.26.

Conclusions: The markers BrdU, Ki-67 and AgNOR showed a positive correlation with statistical significance among the cellular proliferation situations studied (control, hypoproliferation and hyperproliferation); the AgNOR did not show statistically significant differences among the control and hypoproliferation situations and there was more agreement in the results among markers BrdU and Ki-67 in three cell proliferation situations.