Abstract
Purpose
Corneal epithelial cell surface carbohydrate moieties influence migration during wound healing. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the incorporation of galactose and mannose sugar during corneal epithelial migration and their effect on the rate of wound healing.
Methods
Organ cultures of non-migrating (n=6) and migrating (n=30) corneal epithelia were prepared. The incorporation of [3H]-galactose and [3H]-mannose was followed in the migrating samples after 18, 24, 48 and 72h incubation and at 18h in the non-migrating samples. Wound size was documented at the same intervals and the rate of healing was established.
Results
The migrating corneal epithelium of the galactose and mannose treated samples incorporated more radioactive sugar than the non-migrating samples. Mannose incorporation decreased with time whereas the rate of healing was significantly delayed (41±0.01 μm/h) compared to galactose treated samples (63±0.01 μm/h) and controls (61±0.01 μm/h) during the active healing phase (18–48h). Galactose incorporation increased with time.
Conclusions
Incorporation of mannose sugar has an inhibitory effect on the rate of migration during the linear healing phase of the corneal epithelium.
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