Scanning electron microscopic observation of glial cells following xenon arc photocoagulation.

The retinal tear produced in rabbits by aspirating the vitreous body was treated by means of photocoagulation, and its time-course changes were observed under a scanning electron microscope. Four weeks after photocoagulation, the surface of the retina surrounding the tear began to swell glial cells, that protruded with the lapse of time. About 6 weeks after photocoagulation, the glial cells perforated the internal limiting membrane of the retina and came out its surface, so that the glial cell processes and the cell perikaryon could be clearly observed morphologically. The findings showed that the glial cells are fibrous astrocytes. Seven weeks after photocoagulation, glial cells proliferated even in the retinal tear and, furthermore, glial cells in the space between the retinal tear and the retina surrounding it joined together by intertwining their processes to form a network, which seemed to play a certain role in repairing the tear.