Karyologic Studies on Cells From Rabbit Cornea and Other Tissues Grown in Vitro

¹ Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario.Department of Botany, University of Toronto.; Department of Botany, University of Toronto.
² Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario.

Individual layers of the cornea as well as lung tissues of rabbit were cultured separately in vitro. The endothelial and stromal cells of the cornea maintained their distinctive tissue culture morphology in serial subcultures for a period of over 20 months, and in the case of one endothelial line, even in passages after thawing from storage at -79° C. These cell lines proved, to be very suitable material for chromosome study. Normal karyotype of rabbit has been studied, from some of these lines derived from the corneal and, lung tissues. One cell line derived from the corneal endotheUum loas stored at -79° C. for over 3 months and subsequently thawed, and subsequent passages after thawing, shotoed heteroploid. transformation of chromosomes, and subsequent passages, after thawing shoioed heteroploid transformation of chromosomes. The possible application of karyologic studies of corneal cells in ophthalmic research is discussed.