We characterized mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis activity of human corneal endothelium, and compared metabolic activity between central and peripheral regions.
Endothelial keratoplasty-suitable corneas were obtained from donors aged 50 to 75 years. The endothelium-Descemet membrane complex (EDM) was isolated, and 3-mm punches were obtained from central and peripheral regions. Endothelium-Descemet membrane punches were assayed for mitochondrial respiration (oxygen consumption) and glycolysis (extracellular acidification) using an extracellular flux analyzer. Enzymatic (citrate synthase, glucose hexokinase) and mitochondrial density (MitoTracker) assays also were performed.
Ten corneas were analyzed per assay. Metabolic activity for mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis showed expected changes to assay compounds (P < 0.01, all pairwise comparisons). Basal mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis activity did not differ between regions (P > 0.99). Similarly, central versus peripheral activity after assay compound treatment showed no significant differences (P > 0.99, all time points). The intracorneal coefficient of variation for basal readings between two and four peripheral punches was 18.5% of the mean. Although peripheral samples displayed greater enzymatic activity than central samples (P < 0.05), similar to extracellular flux results, mitochondrial density did not differ between regions (P = 0.78).
Extracellular flux analysis of oxygen and pH is a valid technique for characterizing metabolic activity of human corneal endothelium. This technique demonstrates high reproducibility, allows quantification of metabolic parameters using small quantities of live cells, and permits estimation of overall metabolic output. Neither oxygen consumption nor extracellular acidification differed between central and peripheral regions of transplant suitable corneas in this series. Our results show that endothelial cell health can be quantified biochemically in transplant suitable corneas.
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 4. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 24 November 2022.
All research outputs
#11,768,555
of 34,089,221 outputs
Outputs from Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science
#4,505
of 13,093 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#112,077
of 306,857 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science
#37
of 111 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 34,089,221 research outputs across all sources so far. This one has received more attention than most of these and is in the 64th percentile.
So far Altmetric has tracked 13,093 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 5.2. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 64% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 306,857 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 61% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 111 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 65% of its contemporaries.
