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Histology of The Eye
Histology of The Eye
Histology of The Eye
Thicker,
Longer Place
Lashes where
sleep
stuff
ends
up
Get the red out of the conjunctiva Pupil is dilated, are they interested?
Primitive Eye Drawing
Ciliary
Body Conjunctiva
Sclera
Corneal
Posterior Stroma
Neural Chamber Iris
Retina
Vitreous Anterior
Optic Nerve Lens Corneal
Chamber
Epithelium
Retinal
Pigment Zonule
Epithelium of Zinn
Lacrimation
Slide Set
The lacrimal gland is an entirely serous gland like the parotid, but it lacks fat
cells that are present in the parotid gland.
Secretion is controled by preganglionic parasympathetic motor neurons in
the superior salivatory nucleus. They exit with the facial nerve (CN VII). The
postganglionics are located in the pterygopalatine ganglion.
Myoepithelial
Lacrimal Gland Cells
Gland
Of Moll
Lash
Slide Set
Here are the structures found distally in the eyelid.
Tendon of
Levator Palpebrae
Superioris Muscle
Tarsal Gland
Of Meibohm
Slide Set
Posterior
Descemet’s Membrane (Posterior
Corneal Keratocytes limiting membrane) – Basement
Epithelium membrane of the posterior corneal
epithelium. Made up of type VIII
Descemet’s
collagen.
Membrane Posterior Corneal Epithelium (formerly
the corneal endothelium)– Simple
Bowman’s squamous epithelium that controls
Membrane passage of fluid and nutrients to the
corneal stroma.
Slide Set
The layers of the cornea are easily seen. Note the greater
thickness of the external surface.
Anterior Stratified squamous
epithelium, usually
Corneal 5-6 cells thick, is
Epithelium supplied by free
nerve endings.
Surface processes
on epithelial cells
help hold the tear
film in place.
Corneal
irregularities
Junquiera & Carneiro
can cause
astigmatism –
uneven
focusing of
the image.
Type VIII
collagen in
Descemet’s
membrane
forms a
hexagonal
array.
Descemet’s
membrane is
Posterior Limiting Membrane actually the
thickened
basement
membrane of
the posterior
corneal
Geneser epithelium.
Posterior Corneal Epithelium
This simple
squamous
epithelium has
tight junctions
between the
cells and it
Slide Set controls the
flow of nutrients
to the corneal
stroma.
It keeps the
stroma slightly
dehydrated, for
better optics.
Anterior
Chamber
P.C.E.
Cross & Mercer
Slide Set
Posterior Anterior
Iridial Iridial
Epithelium Epithelium
Dilator Pupillae M.
Slide Set
Ciliary Body
Fenestrated
vessels in the
stratum
vasculosum are Stratum
the source of the Vasculosum
Unpigmented
fluids flowing in
Ciliary
the aqueous
Epithelium
humor.
However, the
unpigmented
ciliary epithelium, Pigmented
with its tight Ciliary
junctions, controls Epithelium
the components of
Slide Set Ciliary Muscle
the aqueous.
TEM of Ciliary Epithelium
Unpigmented
Pigmented
Posterior
Fenestrated Chamber
Capillary
Aqueous Humour
Anterior
Chamber
Posterior Chamber
Slide Set
Aqueous humor is produced in pars plicata of the ciliary body,
flows through the posterior chamber, pupil and anterior chamber. It
empties into the trabecular meshwork at the irideocorneal angle.
Slide Set Limbus
Cornea
Slide Set
The cornea meets the sclera at the limbus. The largest holes found in the
limbus near the irideocorneal angle belong to the Canal of Schlemm. This
canal is not continuous, so it may not be present in every slide.
Glaucoma is caused by a lack
Trabecular of balance between the
Cornea Meshwork production and outflow of
aqueous humor. The build up in
Canal of pressure is painless, but it will
Schlemm eventually cause compression
r is of the vessels that supply the
I retina, leading to blindness.
You can recognize this problem
with a simple ophthalmoscopic
(fundoscopic) exam. Look for
cupping of the optic disk where
the retinal arteries enter.
In narrow angle glaucoma the
irideocorneal angle impedes
Aqueous empties outflow.
into the trabecular In open angle glaucoma the
meshwork, and from problem may be ciliary
there drains into the
overproduction or clogging of
canal of Schlemm. Slide Set
the trabecular meshwork.
The ora
Junquiera serata is the
& Carneiro
border
between the
ciliary body,
with its 2-
layered
epithelium
and the retina,
with a 10-
layered
epithelium.
Retina
Slide
Ciliary Body Set
Ora Serata
Histology of the
Eye
Actions of the Ciliary Body,
Suspensory Ligament
(Zonule of Zinn) upon the Lens
The Near Triad refers to the three actions that occur when looking at close
by targets. They are all produced by axons of motor neurons traveling in
the oculomotor nerve (C.N. III) to the extraocular muscles (1) and the
ciliary ganglion (2&3).
1. Convergence: The skeletal muscle fibers of the medial rectus m. contract
to converge the eyes, due to input from alpha motor neurons.
2. Accommodation: The smooth muscle in the ciliary m., activated by
postganglionic parasympathetics, constricts so that the anterior surface
of the lens will become more convex, focussing the image on the retina.
3. Pupillary Constriction: The smooth muscle of the sphincter pupillae m. is
activated by postganglionic parasympathetics, to increase depth of field.
The suspensory
ligaments (zonnule
of Zinn) form a
series of spokes all
along the equator
of the lens. They
originate from pars
planum and in
between the folds
of pars plicata.
They insert into the
lens capsule.
Junquiera
& Carneiro
The fine
filaments of
the
suspensory
ligament
can be seen
lying
between the
Suspensory lens and
Ligaments ciliary body,
and along
the surface
of the ciliary
body.
Slide Set
Distant Focus:
Ciliary Muscle Relaxed The ciliary muscle
Zonule tense
Anterior lens surface flattened contracts when
we attempt to
focus on nearby
targets.
This decreases
the tension in the
zonule, which
Near Focus: allows the anterior
Ciliary Muscle Constricted
Zonule slack surface of the lens
Anterior lens surface curved
to assume a more
curved shape due
to its own internal
elasticity.
Diseases of Accommodation
Slide Set
You will need to find these layers of the choroid in the lab.
In retinal detachment,
the seal between the
retinal pigment
epithelium and the
retinal photoreceptors
(double headed arrow)
is broken. This deprives
the photoreceptors of
their blood supply in the
choriocapillaris.
You will
Ganglion Cell Layer
need to
know the
layers of Inner Plexiform Layer
the retina
for
Inner Nuclear Layer
today’s
lab. The
contents
will be Outer Plexiform Layer
handled
in a Outer Nuclear layer
fututre
lecture. Photoreceptor Layer
Pigment Epithelium
Slide Set
The clever
student will
use this to
figure out
where they
should be
looking
before they
use the
microscope.
The End
• Slides showing the developmental schema
that produces the layers of the eye ball and
related terminology are appended here.
These may be of value for the
comprehensive exam.
Tunics of the Eye
Inner Tunic
– Pars Optica (seeing part) Outer or Fibrous Tunic
• Neural retina – Pars Optica (seeing part)
• Pigment epithelium • Sclera
– Pars Caeca (blind part) – Pars Caeca (blind part)
• Pars Ciliaris • Pars Ciliaris
– Unpigmented Ciliary – Sclera
Epithelium • Pars Anterior
– Pigmented Ciliary
Epithelium – Corneal Stroma
• Pars Iridica
– Anterior Iridial Epithelium Ciliary
– Posterior Iridial Epithelium Body Conjunctiva
Sclera
Corneal
Vascular Tunic Posterior
Neural Chamber
Stroma
Iris
– Pars Optica (seeing part) Retina
• Choroid Vitreous Lens
Anterior
Optic Nerve Chamber Corneal
– Pars Caeca (blind part) Epithelium
• Pars Ciliaris Retinal
Zonule
Pigment
– Stratum Vasculosum Epithelium of Zinn
– Ciliary Muscle
Choroid
• Pars Iridica Anterior
Eye Lid
– Iridial Stroma Chamber
1
Eye development drawings
that you can do.
2
Pigment
Epithelium
3
Future Inner Tunic
4 Ciliary
Body Conjunctiva
Sclera
Corneal
Posterior Stroma
Neural Chamber Iris
Retina
Anterior
Neural Retina
Vitreous Lens
Optic Nerve Chamber Corneal
Epithelium
Retinal
Pigment Zonule
Epithelium of Zinn
Corneal
Pars Optica (seeing part) Posterior
Neural Chamber
Stroma
Iris
Retina
Neural retina Optic Nerve
Vitreous Lens
Anterior
Corneal
Chamber
Pigment epithelium Retinal
Epithelium
Zonule
Pars Caeca (blind part) Pigment
Epithelium of Zinn
Pigmented
Ciliary
Epithelium Anterior
Pigment Irideal
Epithelium Epithelium
The inner tunic derives from the optic cup Pars Optica Pars Caeca
Ciliary
Body
Vascular Tunic Sclera
Conjunctiva
Corneal
Pars Optica (seeing part) Posterior
Neural Chamber
Stroma
Iris
Choroid Retina
Anterior
Vitreous
Pars Caeca (blind part) Optic Nerve Chamber
Lens Corneal
Epithelium
Choroid
Ciliary Muscle Anterior
Chamber
Eye Lid
Pars Iridica
Ciliary
Iridial Stroma Body Iris
Choroid
Ciliary
Muscle
Stratum
Vasculosum
Irideal
Stroma
The vascular tunic derives from the
mesenchyme and neural crest
that aggregates around the optic cup Pars Optica Pars Caeca
Ciliary
Body
Outer or Fibrous Tunic
Conjunctiva
Sclera
Corneal
Pars Optica (seeing part) Posterior
Neural Chamber
Stroma
Iris
Retina
Sclera Vitreous Anterior
Optic Nerve Lens Corneal
Pars Caeca (blind part) Chamber
Epithelium
Corneal Stroma
Ciliary
Body Conjunctiva
Sclera
Corneal
Stroma
Iris
Anterior
Optic Nerve Lens Corneal
Epithelium