The aim of this study was to determine histotopography and age-related changes of immunoreactive substance P (SP-IR) nerve plexus in dog cornea. In this research corneas of three groups of dogs of different age were used: young (2-3 months), adult (1-3 years) and old (8 and more years). Immunohistochemical demonstration of SP was performed on 40 um serial free-floating corneal sections cut parallel to the corneal surface. Results showed that SP-IR nerve plexus of dog cornea was formed by thick (21.9-73 μm diameter), medium (7.3-21.8 μm diameter) and thin (2.19-7.2 um diameter) nerve bundles and varicose or smooth nerve fibers branching into terminals. From limbus SP-IR thick nerve bundles ran radially through superficial and intermediate layers of stroma to the central part of cornea. Thick nerve bundles split into medium ones in central and pericentral parts of cornea. They branched repeatedly forming nerve plexus of stroma. Thin nerve bundles located in subepithelium, superficial and intermediate layers of stroma split from thick and medium bundles. Nerve fibres branched from thin bundles, curved and joined with each other, forming a network of various forms. The highest amount of nerve fibres was observed in corneal epithelium and subepithelium layer. The nerve bundles of young dogs were smaller in diameter than those of adults and old ones. With age the density of nerve fibres and thin bundles decreased in corneal epithelium and subepithelium layer. The density of medium and thick bundles in superficial and intermediate stroma was similar in dogs of all ages. No nerve plexus elements were noticed in stromal deep layer and endothelium in dogs of all ages.
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