Ultrastructure of blood-retinal barrier permeability in rat phototoxic retinopathy

It has been shown previously that the blood-retinal barrier (BRB) of rats with phototoxic retinopathy is permeable to sodium fluorescein and to fluoresceinated dextrans as large as 32A ESR (Einstein-Stokes radius). The leakage presumably occurs from retinal capillaries that have invaded the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and become fenestrated. In this report, the ultrastructural tracers horseradish peroxidase and catalase were used to further localize the leakage site, and to evaluate the size limit of molecules penetrating the phototoxic BRB. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP: 30A ESR) freely penetrates the BRB of phototoxic rats, since it is present in the retinal extracellular space 10 min after intravenous injection. HRP penetrates the fenestrae of capillaries which invade the RPE from the retina. It then diffuses along the pericapillary space of the intraepithelial capillaries, which is confluent with that of their parent retinal capillaries, and into the retinal extracellular space. HRP thus circumvents the tight junctions between RPE cells and between capillary endothelial cells, which appear intact in thin sections. Catalase (52A ESR) does not freely penetrate the BRB of phototoxic rats. As long as 40 min after intravenous injection, catalase is still confined to the lumen of fenestrated capillaries in the RPE, retinal capillaries, and the choriocapillaris. Although present in intraendothelial vesicles, no evidence of deposition in the pericapillary space is observed. It is concluded fenestrated capillaries in the RPE are a major site where blood-borne tracers penetrate the BRB in phototoxic retinopathy.