Studies on Protein Metabolism of the Cornea: 1. The Distribution of Nitrogenous Solids in Rabbit Corneas

Abstract

The normal rabbit cornea was found to contain an average of 22.7% solids (77.3% moisture), nitrogen comprising 14.7% of the dry weight. On a dry weight basis the cornea was composed of 10% as epithelium, 87% as stroma, and 3% as endothelium plus Descemet's membrane. The solid and nitrogen content of the stroma was nearly identical with that of the whole cornea. Endothelium plus Descemet's membrane and epithelium layers were relatively low in nitrogen content (10 and 12% of the dry weight, respectively) while the epithelium was relatively high in solids (30%). The partition of nitrogen, as protein and nonprotein, soluble or insoluble in physiological saline, was estimated for each corneal layer.