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Abstract
The ciliary epithelium (pars plana and pars plicata) of man and rhesus monkey was examined by light and electron microscopy. Particular attention was directed toward the nonpigmented epithelium of the pars plana, the posterior part of which contributes to the "base" of the vitreous body. Extracellular pockets containing acid mucopolysaccharide lie between the nonpigmented cells. This material is similar in appearance to intracellular accumulations which are frequently observed toithin the Golgi complex. These observations suggest intracellular synthesis of the icatenj inucoid materials within the apical cytoplasm of the nonpigmented ciliary epithelium and their release into the intercellular space before passing into the aqueous and vitreous chambers.
The ergastoplasm, generally associated loith the synthesis of certain globular and fibrous proteins, is prominent in these nonpigmented epithelial cells. There is good evidence that new collagenous filaments of the vitreous body are not formed to any extent in the adult eye. The aggregatesof ergastoplasm observed in these tissues are presumably related to synthesis of proteins present in the mucoproteins and basement membrane.