Interlamellar corneal grafts in rats. Effect of histocompatibility
R. F. Lang, F. T. Riekhof and D. Steinmuller
A technique of interlamellar keratoplasty was employed to evaluate the
influence of difference in histocompatibility on the results of corneal
transplantation in highly inbred rats. The degree of corneal clarity and
vascularity and the incidence of rejection of relatively conpatible
("weak") and incompatible ("strong") allografts were recorded blindly in
recipients with normal and vascularized corneas and in recipients
sensitized with donor tissue either before or after corneal grafting. In
contrast to the well-known effects of histocompatibility on skin and organ
allografts, there was no substantial effect whatsoever of
histocompatibility on either the severity of corneal allograft reactions
orthe incidence of rejection. Consequently, the results of this
experimental investigation suggest that tissue typing may have little or no
value in clinical keratoplasty.