McMenamin P G
Department of Anatomy and Human Biology, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Perth.
Br J Ophthalmol. 1989 Nov;73(11):871-9. doi: 10.1136/bjo.73.11.871.
The iridocorneal angle and inner layers of the trabecular meshwork in human fetal eyes were studied by scanning electron microscopy. Tissue from 32 eyes of 17 fetuses with a gestational age from 12 to 22 weeks were investigated in order to determine the morphological changes in the cellular lining of the anterior chamber angle recess during development. The findings indicate that, although hexagonal corneal endothelial profiles extend almost to the angle apex in a few of the younger eyes examined (12-14 weeks), the lining is always perforated by a few discrete intercellular gaps (2-6 microns diameter). As development progresses it becomes clearer that the maturing meshwork is lined by uveal trabecular endothelial cells which are morphologically distinguishable from corneal endothelium. The frequency and size of the gaps between the inner uveal trabecular endothelial cells increase and are well developed by 18-20 weeks, clearly providing a route of communication between the fetal anterior chamber and the developing intercellular spaces in the primitive trabecular tissue. The implications of these observations on the 'Barkan's membrane' theory of congenital glaucoma are discussed.
采用扫描电子显微镜对人类胎儿眼的虹膜角膜角和小梁网内层进行了研究。为了确定前房角隐窝细胞内衬在发育过程中的形态变化，对17例胎龄为12至22周的胎儿的32只眼的组织进行了研究。研究结果表明，虽然在一些较年轻的被检查眼（12 - 14周）中，六角形角膜内皮细胞轮廓几乎延伸至房角顶端，但内衬总是被一些离散的细胞间隙（直径2 - 6微米）穿孔。随着发育的进行，越来越清楚的是，成熟的小梁网由葡萄膜小梁内皮细胞内衬，这些细胞在形态上与角膜内皮不同。葡萄膜小梁内层内皮细胞之间间隙的频率和大小增加，并在18 - 20周时发育良好，显然为胎儿前房与原始小梁组织中正在发育的细胞间隙之间提供了一条沟通途径。讨论了这些观察结果对先天性青光眼“巴尔坎膜”理论的影响。
