Corneas of the dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula L.), with and without epithelium, were excised and immersed in different aqueous solutions, i. e. distilled water, 0.9% solution of NaCl, artificial dogfish aqueous humor, and sea water. Weights of the corneas after a 3-hour, 6.5-hour, and 19-hour immersion, and the final dry weight were compared with the initial weight of the fresh tissue. Not only did no swelling of the examined corneas appear but, even, in nearly all instances marked solubilization of the elasmobranch corneas connected with a decrease of their final dry weight occurred.

No abstract