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Freeze-fracture analysis of junctional complexes in human ciliary epithelia

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Summary

The junctions connecting the epithelial cells of the human ciliary body were studied on replicas of freeze-fractured preparations. Gap junctions are present at the lateral surfaces of the cells of the pigmented epithelium. Gap junctions, isolated linear strands and desmosomes are found between the apical surfaces of pigmented and non-pigmented epithelial cells. Gap junctions, zonulae occludentes and desmosomes join the lateral surfaces of the non-pigmented epithelial cells.

These findings suggest that the blood-aqueous barrier is located at the level of the zonulae occludentes of the non-pigmented epithelial cells. This is consistent with previous studies using thin sections and tracer substances. The function of the many gap junctions connecting the cells of the two epithelial layers is obscure since their presence is not consistent with electrophysiological data from this region.

Zusammenfassung

Die Verbindungen zwischen den Epithelzellen des menschlichen Ciliarkörpers wurden mit Hilfe der Gefrierbrechungs-Methode untersucht. In den Abdrücken der lateralen Zellflächen des pigmentierten Epithels kommen “gap junctions” vor. Die apikalen Flächen der zwei aneinandergrenzenden Zellschichten zeigen “gap junctions”, vereinzelte Leisten und Desmosomen. Zwischen den lateralen Flächen der nichtpigmentierten Epithelzellen liegen “gap junctions”, Zonulae occludentes und Desmosomen.

Die Ergebnisse zeigen, daß sich die Schranke zwischen Blut und Kammerwasser im Bereich der Zonulae occludentes der nichtpigmentierten Zellschicht befindet. Dies bestätigt die Befunde, die andere Autoren an Dünnschnitten unter Anwendung von Tracer-Substanzen erhalten haben. Die Aufgabe der zahlreichen “gap junctions” zwischen pigmentierten und nichtpigmentierten Zellen ist unklar, da kein Einklang mit den vorliegenden elektrophysiologischen Befunden dieser Region besteht.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Abteilung Elektronenmikroskopie, Medizinische Hochschule, Anatomisches Institut, Karl-Wiechert-Alle 9, D-3000, Hannover, Federal Republic of Germany

    E. Reale

  2. Universitäts-Augenklinik, Essen

    M. Spitznas

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  1. E. Reale
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  2. M. Spitznas
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Reale, E., Spitznas, M. Freeze-fracture analysis of junctional complexes in human ciliary epithelia. Albrecht v Graefes Arch. klin. exp. Ophthal. 195, 1–16 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02390025

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02390025

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