Ultrastructure of the Nerves in the Human Trabecular Region

¹ Francis I. Proctor Foundation for Research in Ophthalmology, University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco, Calif.

Myelinated nerves were found only in the area of the scleral spur. Unmyelinated nerves were found in all farts of the trabecular meshwork with the following exceptions: the uveal fibers, the apex of the trabeculae at its juncture with Descemet's membrane, and the outer 7 µ which comprise the inner wall of Schlemm's canal. The nerves travel in the connective tissue of the trabecular sheets, on the endothelial surfaces of the trabeculae, and across the trabecular spaces. They are wrapped by Schwann cell cytoplasm, and, at some point, probably near their termination, become wrapped in endothelial cell cytoplasm. The nerves appear to terminate in folds in the endothelial cells or on the surface of the connective tissue of the trabecular lamellae. The findings are compared with the ultrastructure of known sensory and autonomic nerves and nerve endings.