The Ultra structure of Rabbit Kerato cyte Infected by Herpes Simplex Virus

ABSTRACT

To evaluate the ultrastructure of cornea keratocyte infected by Herpes simplex virus, the cornea was excised from enucleated rabbit eyes. Cornea epithelium and endothelium of these was removed and cultivated in culture media. After 7 days, the Kos strain of Herpes simplex virus was inoculated into the cultured cornea keratocytes and co-cultivated until the cytopathic effect occurred. Cornea keratocytes was fixed in the 3%glutaraldehyde and examined with electron microscope. The infected cells were active cells and slightly more round appearance than normal cells. They had microvillies composed of cytoplasmic process protru-sions into collagen fibers. Virus particles was transmitted into neighboring cells easily since there was no barrier function of collagen fibers that was destroyed in the condition of culture. The nuclear changes of infected cells were markednuclear chromatin was degraded, condensated and displaced toward the nuclear membrane. There were many virus particles in the nucleus. There were also many degenerations in the cytoplasm, destructed numerous cytoplasmic organelles and many virus particles seen in the cytoplasm. The ultrastructural findings of keratocytes co-cultivated with Herpes simplex virus were identified from our result.