Scanning electron microscopy study of the tarsal and orbital conjunctival surfaces compared to peripheral corneal epithelium in pigmented rabbits.

The mammalian palpebral conjunctiva has not been systematically evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The upper eyelid of female grey rabbits (2 kg) was fixed in its extended conformation at 15.00 h; some corneas were prepared with the same fixative protocol. The corneal epithelium, within 1 mm of the limbus, is a mosaic of small-to-large (average cell area of 693 m2) squamous cells with light, medium or dark appearance due to different densities of cell surface microplicae. The tarsal conjunctiva was a 1.5 to 3 mm wide mosaic of small (average cell area of 86 microm2) non-desquamating polygonal cells having distinctive light and dark appearances due surface microplicae. The orbital portion of the palpebral conjunctiva is also composed of small (average cell area of 87 microm2) non-desquamating polygonal cells but with a uniform medium-grey appearance due to a relatively consistent density of surface microvilli. Several types of intercellular pore-like openings were also present across the palpebral surface but not the corneal epithelial surface. Very small type 1 pores (1.5 to 5 microm diameter) were present at a density of 480 to 760 / mm2 for the tarsal and 80-160 / mm2 for orbital conjunctiva. Slightly larger (2.5 to 18 microm diameter) type 2 pores with distinct borders were present at 120-200 / mm2 across the orbital conjunctiva. Very large (10-109 microm diameter) type 3 (Henle) pores were present at 40 to 280/mm2 especially at the tarsal/orbital transition zone. Type 4 pores (goblet cell orifices) were oval with a peripheral ring of microvilli and were present at 40 to 160/mm2 for tarsal and 800 to 1600/mm2 for orbital conjunctiva. The rabbit palpebral conjunctival surface is thus distinctly different from the peripheral corneal epithelium across which it slides following eyelid closure.