The Ultrastructure of Bruch's Membrane

Abstract

Two previous reports in this series^1,2 described the fine structure of Bruch's membrane in the human, monkey, rabbit, guinea pig, and rat,¹ in the cat and dog which have a tapetum cellulosum,² and in the cow which has a tapetum fibrosum.² The fine structure of Bruch's membrane in the macular area of the human eye is described in this paper. The frequency of macular choroidal disease in humans prompted this special study. Materials and Methods The material studied consisted of four eyes of humans 60 years old or older. The eyes were enucleated because of ocular melanomas, but their macular areas were intact. The method of processing these eyes was described in the first paper of the series.¹ Pieces of choroid and attached retinal pigment epithelium were removed from the macular area by means of a trephine or razor blade and were then processed for