Abstract
In pursuing the pathogenesis of diabetic optic neuropathy, the optic nerve of congenitally diabetic KK mice was observed with an electron microscope As a control, nondiabetic DDY mice with similar weight and age were used. The results were as follows.
1) Disorders of the myelin sheath, edematous change in the axon and the tendency oi enlargement and destruction of mitochondria were recognized.
2) In findings concerning the optic capillaries, the authors observed the thickening of the basement membrane and the reactive changes of the endothelial cells.
3) Glial cells and pericytes of the capillary wall did not show notable changes.
The authors presumed that the thickening of the basement membrane in the retinal and tntraoptical capillaries must play an important role in diabetic microangiopathic eye disease.
