Immunohistochemical localization of connexin 43 in the cornea of the one humped camel (camelus dromedaries)‎

Abstract EN

The present study has described for the first time the expression of connexin 43 in the cornea of camel.

The camel cornea was composed of five layers, the corneal epithelium, subepithelial basement membrane (Bowman’s membrane), substantiapropria or stroma, posterior limiting membrane (Descemet’s membrane), and posterior epithelium (corneal endothelium).

Using immunohistochemical techniques we have examined the localizations of the connexin 43 in one humped camel cornea.

The expression of gap junction protein CX43 was appeared as punctate staining pattern along the lateral plasma membrane between the cells and at the apical surface.

We observed the expression in both basal and suprabasal cell layers ; the superficial cell layer was give negative staining reactions for CX 43.

While the fibroblast cells of the corneal stroma revealed moderate immuno-staining for connexin 43.

However no reaction was evident in the collagen fiber of the stroma.