Biomaterial Database

Ultrastructural study of basal lamina of retinal pigment epithelium. 1995

B Ou, and S Ohno, and S Yamabayashi, and H B Chen, and Y Fujii, and S Tsukahara

Department of Ophthalmology, Yamanashi Medical University, Japan.

The ultrastructure of basal lamina (BL) of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in guinea pigs was studied by the quick-freezing, deep-etching (QF-DE) method. The retinal tissue was quickly frozen, fractured and deeply etched. A replica was prepared by shadowing with platinum and carbon. Electron micrographs of the BL of RPE provide a three-dimensional (3-D) ultrastructure. The lamina lucida was filled with traversing filamentous structures, which connected the basal infolding of RPE with the lamina densa. The lamina densa consisted of a 3-D meshwork structure. It is suggested that the traversing filamentous structures in the lamina lucida might play a role in anchoring the basal infolding of RPE and in maintaining the normal architecture.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010857	Pigment Epithelium of Eye	The layer of pigment-containing epithelial cells in the RETINA; the CILIARY BODY; and the IRIS in the eye.	Eye Pigment Epithelium
D005613	Freeze Etching	A replica technique in which cells are frozen to a very low temperature and cracked with a knife blade to expose the interior surfaces of the cells or cell membranes. The cracked cell surfaces are then freeze-dried to expose their constituents. The surfaces are now ready for shadowing to be viewed using an electron microscope. This method differs from freeze-fracturing in that no cryoprotectant is used and, thus, allows for the sublimation of water during the freeze-drying process to etch the surfaces.	Etching, Freeze
D005614	Freeze Fracturing	Preparation for electron microscopy of minute replicas of exposed surfaces of the cell which have been ruptured in the frozen state. The specimen is frozen, then cleaved under high vacuum at the same temperature. The exposed surface is shadowed with carbon and platinum and coated with carbon to obtain a carbon replica.	Fracturing, Freeze,Fracturings, Freeze,Freeze Fracturings
D006168	Guinea Pigs	A common name used for the genus Cavia. The most common species is Cavia porcellus which is the domesticated guinea pig used for pets and biomedical research.	Cavia,Cavia porcellus,Guinea Pig,Pig, Guinea,Pigs, Guinea
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001485	Basement Membrane	A darkly stained mat-like EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX (ECM) that separates cell layers, such as EPITHELIUM from ENDOTHELIUM or a layer of CONNECTIVE TISSUE. The ECM layer that supports an overlying EPITHELIUM or ENDOTHELIUM is called basal lamina. Basement membrane (BM) can be formed by the fusion of either two adjacent basal laminae or a basal lamina with an adjacent reticular lamina of connective tissue. BM, composed mainly of TYPE IV COLLAGEN; glycoprotein LAMININ; and PROTEOGLYCAN, provides barriers as well as channels between interacting cell layers.	Basal Lamina,Basement Lamina,Lamina Densa,Lamina Lucida,Lamina Reticularis,Basement Membranes,Densas, Lamina,Lamina, Basal,Lamina, Basement,Lucida, Lamina,Membrane, Basement,Membranes, Basement,Reticularis, Lamina
D015925	Cryopreservation	Preservation of cells, tissues, organs, or embryos by freezing. In histological preparations, cryopreservation or cryofixation is used to maintain the existing form, structure, and chemical composition of all the constituent elements of the specimens.	Cryofixation,Cryonic Suspension,Cryonic Suspensions,Suspension, Cryonic