Cytology of the superficial keratinised cells in experimental keratitis sicca.

Keratoconjunctivitis sicca was produced in 2 rabbits by the surgical extirpation of the tear-secreting glands and the nictitating membrane in one eye. Flat mounts of the superficial corneal epithelium were prepared by the in vivo replica technique. Histomorphological and cytological studies of the keratinised cells showed the irregularly arranged, crumpled and piled-up cells. The cells contained coarse granular and fibrillar material in the cytoplasm and large granules in the nuclei. The reaction for -S-S- bridges was positive in these cells. They showed birefringence under polarisation microscopy but possessed some ribonucleoproteins.