Occluding junctions surrounding cystoid spaces in the human peripheral retina. A thin-section and freeze-fracture study.

Transmission electron microscopic examination of thin sections and freeze-fracture replicas of areas neighboring cystoid spaces in the peripheral human retina reveals extensive networks of occluding junctions on all sides of these spaces. These junctions may be responsible for the fact that, in spite of the absence of an epithelial lining, fluid from the spaces of cystoid degeneration and retinoschisis does not leak into the surrounding retina, which would lead to their collapse.