On the spatial organization of the cornea endothelium.
A hexagonal pattern is formed by the apical aspects of the corneal endothelial cells. However, by electron microscopy of surface-parallel sections it can be seen that the basal part of these cells has a highly irregular shape with deep indentations and high ridges. Near the Descemet membrane numerous cytoplasmic processes are tangled together in a bewildering pattern. A few of these processes are exposed to the posterior surface, where they may be seen as small cell-like areas delineated by cell borders. The hexagonal apical pattern of the endothelium is related to minimum total length of the intercellular apical sealing. This pattern may develop by a minimizing process with analogy to the minimum surface formation of soap bubble film.
D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003315:Cornea / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003886:Descemet Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004727:Endothelium / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011817:Rabbits