[Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy--the appearance of the corneal endothelium under the electron microscope (author's...

Studying the various stages of Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy with transmission and surface electronmicroscopy makes the dystrophic and degenerative changes in the endothelial and Descemet's membrane visible: dystrophic changes by the formation of tuberosities, whose structure is very similar to that Descemet's membrane, and degenerative changes by reduction in the number of endothelial cells through destruction of the intercellular connections and through cell necrosis. The second stage is the reformation of the structure by fibroblastic cells. The dystrophic cells lead to the formation of a fibrillary tissue between the cells and the tuberosity-laden Descemet's membrane, which is different from the primary structure of this tissue. The origin of these cells is unknown.