Perturbation of the blood-retinal barrier after enzyme perfusion. A cytochemical study

The retina is protected from circulating molecules by a blood-retinal barrier. This is comprised of the impermeable apical-lateral junctions of the retinal pigment epithelium and intraretinal blood vessels lined by endothelia that have impermeable junctions and vesicles that do not transport material from the luminal to abluminal front. This study examined the effect of enzyme digestion upon the restrictive properties of the retinal capillary endothelium. Rats were perfused first with enzymes and then by hemoglobin that was visualized by ultrastructural cytochemical methods. After perfusion of buffer alone or buffers containing neuraminidase or heparinase, the cytochemical reaction product was confined to the capillary lumina and to endothelial cell vesicles facing the luminal front. In contrast, after heparitinase or pronase perfusion, reaction product filled the extravascular spaces. Chains of endothelial cell vesicles and patent transendothelial channels were often encountered. Endothelial cell junctions did not appear to be affected by enzyme treatment. These findings indicate that a cell-surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan (or a nonidentified protein removed by proteolysis) is a key molecule required for the maintenance of the blood-retinal barrier.