The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of age on endothelial morphology and morphometry in cats. The corneal endothelium was studied using a contact specular microscope. A total of 18 cats (Felis catus Linnaeus, 1758) were evaluated in this study. The subjects were divided into three groups of six cats each in function of age: G1 (1 to 3 months old), G2 (5 to 12 months old), and G3 (24 to 40 months old). The examination presented data as endothelial cell density (ECD), average cell area, corneal thickness, polymegathism, and pleomorphism. Results revealed ECD decrease in corneas of normal cats with age, as well as a corresponding increase in endothelial cell area and pleomorphism. The present work suggests that the endothelial parameters evaluated change with advancing age.

Knowing the representative values of endothelial density and the probabilities of occurrence over a lifetime can help surgeons determine the risk to the cornea of anterior segment surgery. It can also be useful in following eyes with disease affecting the endothelium and in preparing and evaluating corneal specular microscopy reports.

Pesq. Vet. Bras. 28(9):427-430, setembro 2008 RESUMO.-[Análise morfológica com microscopia especular do endotélio corneal em olhos de cães.] Foram estudados 20 olhos de 10 cães sem raça definida, machos e fêmeas com 6 anos de idade. A morfologia das células do endotélio da córnea foi analisada utilizando-se microscópio especular de contato. Foram estudadas as regiões central e periférica da córnea. De cada região da córnea foram realizadas três micrografias. De cada micrografia foram analisadas no mínimo 100 células endoteliais. Foram obtidos os valores do polimegatismo e pleomorfismo. O endotélio corneano de cães caracterizou-se por uma monocamada de células poligonais uniformes em tamanho e forma. A forma predominante das células endoteliais foi hexagonal. O índice de polimegatismo foi 0.22. Este estudo demonstrou que a morfologia das células do endotélio da córnea de cães é semelhante à observada em humanos. INTRODUCTIONThe corneal endothelium is a single layer of polygonal cells on the inner surface of the cornea. The endothelial integrity and metabolic activity are essential for continuous maintenance of corneal dehydration and transparency (Waring et al. 1982). Ageing results in a gradual reduction in endothelial cell density and an increase in cell area variability in those species that exhibit minimal mitotic potential (Jackson et al. 1995). Furthermore, morphological changes of endothelium associated with cell loss occur in many conditions including corneal dystrophies, keratoconus, glaucoma, uveitis, blunt ocular trauma, cataract ex-

Corneal endothelium constitutes a monolayer of polygonal cells. The integrity and health of this layer are essential for the maintenance of normal corneal transparency. This study reported by the first time in a detailed RESUMO O endotélio corneal é uma monocamada de células poligonais. A integridade e saúde dessa camada são essenciais para a manutenção da transparência corneal normal. Este estudo reportou pela primeira vez, de forma detalhada, a morfologia ultra-estrutural e a morfometria do endotélio corneal de suínos adultos mestiços à microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV

A very high number of CSM examinations had sample errors based on Cells Analyzer software. The endothelial sample size (examinations) needs to include more cells to be reliable and reproducible. The Cells Analyzer tutorial routine will be useful for CSM examination reliability and reproducibility.