Table 2

Expression of CD44 on human corneal tissue

Clinical diagnosis		No	Epithelium	Stroma cells	Endothelium
Normal		4	+	++^A	–
Inflammation related:
	Keratitis	9	+2++6(1)	++^BC	–7D++²
	Graft rejection	8	++7(1)	+2++6BC	+5++1(2)
	Alkaline burn	3	++	++^C	++1–2D
	Corneal trauma	2	++	++^BC	++
Non-inflammation related:
	Pseudophakic bullous keratopathy	15	+9++4(2)	+2++13	+3++5(7)
	Graft endothelial failure	2	+	++	+
	Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy	6	+	+1++⁵	+2++2(2)
	Keratoconus	9	+	+2++⁷	–9D
	Scrofulous scarring	2	+	+1++¹	–^D
	Lattice dystrophy	1	+	++	–^D
	Meesmann dystrophy	1	+	++	–^D

Numbers in parentheses indicate the number of cases in which no cell layer existed on the slide. Superscript numbers show the number of patients with positive staining at different levels of staining intensity as indicated.
A = CD44 positive vascular endothelium in the corneal limbal stroma.
B = CD44 positive neovascular endothelium.
C = CD44 positive infiltrate.
D = endothelial cells relatively normal in morphology and amount.