Freeze-fracture replica of the rat cornea.

The fine structures of the rat cornea, with special reference to their intercellular junctions, were studied using the freeze-fracture technique. At the corneal epithelium, gap junctions could be observed between the adjacent cells. At the stroma, crater-shaped depressions (between 300 and 500 A diameter) with pipe-like appearing structures connecting the lamellae were found. Intercellular junctions existing between the endothelial cells at the area near the anterior chamber are postulated to be the fascia (macula) occludens.