Corneal transplantation is commonly used to treat patients with blindness. The main reason for the failure of corneal transplantation is corneal allograft rejection. In contrast to necrosis, apoptosis is a process of programmed cell death that is highly regulated and controlled. There is a close relationship between apoptosis and the development and differentiation of tissues and organs, as well as the maintenance of normal physiological activities and the development of many diseases. Current study revealed that apoptosis of corneal cells and infiltrated inflammatory cells occurredat the same time duringcorneal graft rejection. Apoptotic cells can induce both transplanation rejection and immune tolerance. (Int Rev Ophthalmol, 2016, 40: 352-356)

apoptosis; corneal cells; immune cells; corneal transplantation rejectionimmune tolerance