PURPOSE: Corneas are usually stored for a maximum of approximately 30 days in European @entity267 banks. Although attempts are being made to prolong culture periods, data on their success are extremely limited to date. The following study was carried out to describe the capacities and limits of the established system. METHODS: Thirty-seven @entity1 corneas were stored for < or = 12 weeks under standard eye bank conditions [modified minimal essential medium (MEM), 31 degrees C, closed system]. Twenty-one fresh @entity1 corneas served as control. Both the adenylate @entity2036 and the @entity413 and @entity880 concentrations were measured in the tissue (all cellular layers) by using the bioluminescence technique. The endothelial-cell densities also were determined. RESULTS: Endothelial-cell densities decreased from 2,963.4 +/- 58.7 cells/ @entity202 (fresh) to 2,649 cell/ @entity202 after 4 weeks and to 2,087 cells/ @entity202 after 6 weeks. Storage for periods >6 weeks led to @entity39 . Biochemical studies showed improving values during the first 4 weeks and acceptable conditions for < or = 6 weeks. CONCLUSION: From these data, we conclude that long-term organ culture in a closed system is limited to approximately 6 weeks and thereby confirm the clinical results of Fr  h and B  hnke.

Changes in XXXX donor corneas preserved for longer than 4 weeks.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['human'] @entity267 :: ('MESH:D065306', 'Disease') :: ['cornea'] @entity2036 :: ('MESH:D009711', 'Chemical') :: ['nucleotides'] @entity202 :: ('10687', 'Gene') :: ['mm2'] @entity39 :: ('MESH:D009336', 'Disease') :: ['total endothelial necrosis'] @entity880 :: ('MESH:D019344', 'Chemical') :: ['lactate'] @entity413 :: ('MESH:D005947', 'Chemical') :: ['glucose']
@entity1 :: (9606,Species) :: ['human']
