Fibrinolysis in the Anterior Segment of the Eye

Abstract

In the eye of man and Rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) the vessels of the ciliary body, the iris, and the proximal scleral vascular plexus are fibrinolytically highly active. The trabeculae and the ciliary processes are inactive. The endothelium of the canal of Schlemm of adult man and the junctions of collector channels with the canal of Schlemm in monkey are highly active. In the human fetus and the newborn infant the canal of Schlemm is inactive. Aqueous humor of monkey has slight fibrinolytic activity, and contains small amounts of plasminogen. The findings suggest that fibrinolysis could assist in preventing obstruction by fibrin of the aqueous outflow pathways and could participate in the regulation of outflow of aqueous humor.