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Scanning electron microscopy of the rat retina

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Summary

Fixed and unfixed, freeze-dried pieces of isolated retina and the posterior part of the eye bulb from adult rats were examined in a scanning electron microscope.

The inner limiting membrane shows distinct cell borders, protrusions, and scattered microvilli-like structures. Different types of nerve cells are observed in the ganglion cell layer and the inner nuclear layer. They all lack synaptic boutons on the surface of their perikarya. There is an intercellular space between the processes in the nerve fiber layer.

The inner and outer segments are surrounded by a space with extracellular material. Their surface is smooth or slightly undulated. There is no evidence indicating the existence of basal infoldings continuous with the membraneous structures inside the rod outer segments. The connecting piece between the inner and outer segments resemble a symmetrically shaped hour-glass. The surface of the epithelial cells is covered by microvilli forming a honeycomb-like structure and each outer segment is surrounded by several microvilli.

The results obtained are discussed in relation to those obtained by transmission electron microscopy. The probable existence of a significant extracellular space and the distribution of extracellular material between the segments and the microvilli are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Histology and the Neuropathological Laboratory, Department of Pathology I, University of Göteborg, Göteborg, Sweden

    Hans -Arne Hansson

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  1. Hans -Arne Hansson
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Supported by grants from “H. Jeanssons Stiftelse” “Riksföreningen mot Cancer” (265-B69-OIX) and the Swedish Medical Research Council (B70-12X-2534-02). I would like to thank the Swedish Silicate Research Institute, Göteborg, for using their scanning electron microscope, and Miss. M. Persson for skilful technical assistance.

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Hansson, H.A. Scanning electron microscopy of the rat retina. Z. Zellforsch. 107, 23–44 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00338956

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