Distribution of albumin in the normal monkey eye as revealed by Evans blue fluorescence microscopy

Since intravenously injected Evans blue binds irreversibly to serum albumin, its distribution reflects albumin exchange between the intravascular and extravascular tissue compartments. In histologic specimens examined by fluorescence, microscopy, extravasated Evans blue--albumin complex was identified within the ciliary body and trabecular meshwork of normal monkey eyes. In eyes fixed by intra-arterial perfusion of fixative, no dye was identified in the choroid, retina, or optic nerve. With immersion fixation, however, some extravasation was seen in the choroid and adjacent optic nerve. In some specimens, the optic nerve was stained not only with material apparently leaking from the choroid but also from a breakdown of the blood-brain barrier in the major disc vasculature during the interval before fixative penetrates into the tissue. Perfusion fixation must be used to avoid this artifact, and freezing techniques would be even better.