Abstract
The retina and optic nerve have been demonstrated to possess a blood-brain barrier that prevents the passive passage of protein and certain dyes from the blood vessels into the extracellular space. Our observations suggest that an exception is present at the normal optic disc. Using horseradish peroxidase as a tracer for electron microscopy and the normal rhesus monkey as the experimental animal, we have demonstrated that in certain regions of the optic nerve head, horse-radish peroxidase from the blood stream reaches the axons of the optic nerve through the border tissue of Elschnig from the adjacent choroidal tissues. A barrier formed by a series of cell junctions between glial cells at the edge of the optic disc prevented spread of the tracer from the optic disc into the subretinal space.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 815-825 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Archives of ophthalmology |
Volume | 93 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 1975 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Blood-brain barrier
- horseradish peroxidase
- optic nerve head
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ophthalmology