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In vivo confocal microscopy features and clinicohistological correlation of limbal nerve corpuscles

Al-Aqaba, Mouhamed Ali; Anis, Fady S; Mohammed, Imran; Yapa, Anjali Dias Samarawickrama; Amoaku, Winfried M; Dua, Harminder Singh Singh

In vivo confocal microscopy features and clinicohistological correlation of limbal nerve corpuscles Thumbnail


Authors

Mouhamed Ali Al-Aqaba

Fady S Anis

Imran Mohammed

Anjali Dias Samarawickrama Yapa

WINFRIED AMOAKU winfried.amoaku@nottingham.ac.uk
Clinical Assoc Prof & Reader in Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences

HARMINDER DUA HARMINDER.DUA@NOTTINGHAM.AC.UK
Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences



Abstract

Aims To describe the in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) features of human limbal nerve corpuscles (LNCs) and correlate these with the histological features.

Methods We examined 40 eyes of 29 healthy living subjects (17 female, 12 male; mean age=47.6) by IVCM. Four limbal quadrants were scanned through all epithelial layers and stroma to identify the LNCs and associated nerves. Ten fresh normal human corneoscleral discs from five deceased patients with a mean age of 67 years and 17 eye-bank corneoscleral rims with a mean age of 57.6 years were stained as whole mounts by the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) method to demonstrate LNCs and corneal nerves. Stained tissue was scanned in multiple layers with the NanoZoomer digital pathology microscope. The in vivo results were correlated to the histological findings.

Results On IVCM, LNCs were identified in 65% of the eyes studied and were mainly (84%) located in the inferior or superior limbal regions. They appeared either as bright (hyper-reflective) round or oval single structures within the hyporeflective, relatively acellular fibrous core of the palisades or were clustered in groups, often located anterior to the palisades of Vogt. They measured 36 µm in largest diameter (range 20–56 µm). The in vivo features were consistent with the histology, which showed LNCs as strongly AChE positive round or oval structures.

Conclusion The strong correlation with histology will enable use of IVCM to study LNCs in normal and disease conditions.

Citation

Al-Aqaba, M. A., Anis, F. S., Mohammed, I., Yapa, A. D. S., Amoaku, W. M., & Dua, H. S. S. (2019). In vivo confocal microscopy features and clinicohistological correlation of limbal nerve corpuscles. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjophthalmol-2018-313199

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Aug 1, 2019
Online Publication Date Sep 5, 2019
Publication Date Sep 5, 2019
Deposit Date Sep 8, 2019
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal British Journal of Ophthalmology
Print ISSN 0007-1161
Electronic ISSN 1468-2079
Publisher BMJ Publishing Group
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Pages 1-5
DOI https://doi.org/10.1136/bjophthalmol-2018-313199
Keywords Ophthalmology; Sensory Systems; Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2588049
Publisher URL https://bjo.bmj.com/content/early/2019/09/04/bjophthalmol-2018-313199

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