New developments in analysis of ocular surface diseases|Nieuwe ontwikkelingen in analyse van ziekten van het oogoppervlak

Abstract

The thesis is divided into three parts, each part investigates a different disease of the ocular surface. The first part describes a new animal model to follow allogenetic limbal transplants by enhanced green fluorescent protein (E-GFP). In this model E-GFP is able to reliably follow transplant survival, however E-GFP itself is immunogenic. Conjunctival melanoma is the topic of part II, where non-invasive diagnostic techniques are investigated. Both exfoliative cytology and the newer Biopore membrane cytology are described. Immunohistochemical staining for the S-100 protein family were performed. Furthermore a new conjunctival melanoma cell line has been developed. In part III several single nucleotide polymorphisms for lactoferrin and IL-10 have been investigated in patients with herpes simplex keratitis or a bacterial corneal ulcer.