Figure 1.

Suture (sut.) placement on the nasal side results in increased neovascularization. A: Schematic drawing of the single intrastromal suture placement (dashed lines) 1.0 mm from the limbal area on either the temporal or the nasal side of the cornea. B: Representative slit-lamp biomicroscope images of corneas with sutures on the nasal or temporal side on day 0 (naïve cornea), 2, and 4 after suture placement in BALB/c mice. C: Binary images (left side) and cumulative bar chart (right side) depicting the vascular density of corneal neovascularization. Slit-lamp images were converted into binary images, and vascular density as percentage area of the vessels in the total cornea was calculated using the vessel analysis plugin in ImageJ version 1.52v software. D: Representative immunohistochemistry micrographs (left side) and cumulative bar chart (right side) showing vessel area in naïve, nasal, and temporal sutured corneas. Corneas were harvested on day 4 after suture placement and immunostained with CD31 (fluorescein isothiocyanate). ImageJ version 1.52v software was used to quantify the vessel area. Representative data from three independent experiments are shown, and each experiment consisted of four animals. Data are represented as means ± SEM (C and D). ∗P < 0.05 (t-test). Scale bar = 100 μm (D). Co., cornea; Conj., conjunctiva.