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Summary
The iridocorneal angle endothelium retracts during primate prenatal development, exposing the trabecular meshwork. Delays in this process may cause congenital glaucoma or iridocorneal endothelial syndromes.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Developmental Biology
- Microscopy
Background:
- The iridocorneal angle is crucial for aqueous humor outflow.
- Understanding its prenatal development is key to diagnosing related eye conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prenatal development of the iridocorneal angle in macaque monkeys.
- To correlate developmental events with potential causes of glaucoma and endothelial syndromes.
Main Methods:
- Scanning electron microscopy was used.
- 99 macaque monkey eyes from 60 days gestation onwards were analyzed.
Main Results:
- The iridocorneal angle endothelium is intact by the second trimester.
- During the third trimester, the endothelium fenestrates and retracts, revealing the trabecular meshwork.
- This retraction coincides with the development of aqueous outflow facility.
Conclusions:
- The endothelial retraction mechanism is essential for normal aqueous outflow development.
- Deviations from this mechanism, such as gestational delays or adult reversals, can lead to congenital glaucoma and iridocorneal endothelial syndromes, respectively.