THE PERMEABILITY OF THE RABBIT CILIARY EPITHELIUM TO HORSERADISH PEROXIDASE IN EXPERIMENTAL UVEITIS An electron microscopic study

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Abstract
Experimental uveitis has been produced in two groups of albino rabbits by a single intravitreal injection of antigen. The animals in group I were immunized by injection of 10 mg of human serum albumin, whereas those belonging to group II received 50 mg of the same antigen. To study the blood‐aqueous barrier to proteins in the ciliary body of these eyes, horseradish peroxidase has been used as a cytochemical tracer by electron microscopy. The tracer was injected intravenously at different time intervals (1–30 min) before enucleation.In group I, in regions of inflammatory cell infiltration in the ciliary processes, peroxidase reaction product was observed in the lateral intercellular spaces of the superficial epithelium, in the internal limiting membrane, and in the posterior chamber, as evidence of breakdown of the epithelial diffusion barrier. In areas showing moderate or no inflammatory cell infiltration, the diffusion barrier to peroxidase was found intact, although the epithelium displayed marked morphological alterations.In the more heavy inflamed eyes belonging to group II, necrosis of the ciliary epithelium and thrombosis of the ciliary vessels were prominent.