Associations between the cells of the walls of Schlemm's canal.

The associations between the cells of the corneoscleral and trabecular walls of Schlemm's canal from the three primate species human, baboon and rhesus monkeys were examined by transmission electron microscopy. Small gap junctions and occluding junctions modify the lateral borders between the canalicular endothelial cells. The endothelial monolayer on the corneoscleral aspect of Schlemm's canal is separated from several layers of fibrobasts by a continuous basement membrane. The fibroblasts are embedded in a dense collagenous matrix and at the regions of cellular association, modifications are restricted to simple maculae adhaerentes. The endothelial monolayer on the trabecular aspect of Schlemm's canal does not have a continuous basement membrane but maintains its association with the underlying endothelial meshwork by means of process connections. In the endothelial meshwork, the native meshwork cells link with each other by gap junctions and maculae adhaerentes.