[Cell cultures - model object for experimental studies in ophthalmology]. / Kletochnye kul'tury ­ model'nyi ob"ekt dlya eksperimental'nykh issledovanii v oftal'mologii.

The article presents results obtained on several types of model cultures. Primary cultures of corneal epithelial cells and fibroblast-like cells from the limbus were obtained from the tissues of the anterior eye segment. Tests were performed on these cultures to determine the cytotoxicity of antiglaucoma drugs and to trial a protection method. In addition, a comparative analysis of the regenerative potential of various blood derivatives was carried out. An in vitro culture of endotheliocytes showed a correlation between the degree of damaging effects of antiglaucoma drugs of various groups and the content of the preservative benzalkonium chloride in their composition. Corneal keratocytes were used to create a cell sheet reflecting the main structural features of the stroma and suitable for biomechanical tests. The antifibrotic activity of the drugs was tested on the culture of fibroblasts from the nasolacrimal duct. The conducted studies demonstrate that cell cultures can be used as an informative model object for researching the pathogenesis of ophthalmic diseases and for testing drugs.

[Mineral dysmetabolism in corneal diseases]. / Narusheniya mineral'nogo obmena pri zabolevaniyakh rogovitsy.

Functional status and biological properties of connective tissues significantly depend on the mineral elements involved in their metabolism. Connective tissue portion of the corneal stroma makes up most of its thickness; pathological changes in collagen fibers and the stroma can cause a range of corneal diseases, some of which are specifically associated with disorders of mineral metabolism. The article considers impairments of mineral metabolism as possible pathophysiological mechanisms in certain diseases and disorders of the cornea, and describes in detail the abnormalities associated with mineral dysmetabolism observed in patients with keratoconus.

[Clinical and morphological characteristics of corneal epithelial dystrophy (clinical observations)]. / Kliniko-morfologicheskie kharakteristiki epitelial'noi distrofii rogovitsy (klinicheskie nablyudeniya).

This paper presents clinical observations that can be regarded as degeneration of the basement membrane of the corneal epithelium. Difficulties in identifying such forms of corneal dystrophies, on the one hand, are associated with limitation and polymorphism of the clinical picture, and, on the other hand, with insufficient information content of the basic diagnostic methods (i.e. the methods used during the initial examination). The presented clinical cases allow singling out the alarming and pathognomonic signs of the disease in the diagnostic algorithm. In the first case, attention should be paid to biomicroscopic changes in the superficial layers of the cornea and the optical defects, which can be regarded as a manifestation of an irregularity of corneal refraction. Identification of pathognomonic signs of the disease is possible on the basis of a detailed, close-to-morphological study of the structure of superficial corneal layers using confocal microscopy and optical coherence tomography. At the same time, the localization of the detected changes at the level of epithelial basement membrane and its basal sections is of crucial significance for substantiating the diagnosis. In addition, according to the literature data, recurrent erosions of the cornea of unclear etiology should be attributed to presumptive signs of degenerative changes in the basement membrane of the epithelium.