Degenerating collagen fibrils in glaucoma
- Rob Young
- Digital Images
- Online
Selected images from this work
View 1 imageAbout this work
Description
Transmission electron micrograph showing collagen
fibrils exhibiting focal swelling and loss of
periodic cross banding in the trabecular meshwork
of a person with glaucoma. The trabecular meshwork
is the structure through which the aqueous humor
in the anterior chamber drains into Schlemm's
canal. The obstruction of this process may
represent a mechanism by which the intraocullar
pressure is raised in glaucoma. The proteoglycans
that are normally attached to the collagen fibrils
have become detached and are seen as small short
filaments. The intact fibrils are approximately
120 nm in diameter. Biomedical Image Awards 1999.