The capillary lamina of choroid or choriocapillaris is a layer of

capillaries A capillary is a small blood vessel from 5 to 10 micrometres (μm) in diameter. Capillaries are composed of only the tunica intima, consisting of a thin wall of simple squamous endothelial cells. They are the smallest blood vessels in the body: ...

that is immediately adjacent to

Bruch's membrane Bruch's membrane is the innermost layer of the choroid of the eye. It is also called the ''vitreous lamina'' or ''Membrane vitriae'', because of its glassy microscopic appearance. It is 2–4 μm thick. Layers Bruch's membrane consists of five l ...

in the

choroid The choroid, also known as the choroidea or choroid coat, is a part of the uvea, the vascular layer of the eye, and contains connective tissues, and lies between the retina and the sclera. The human choroid is thickest at the far extreme rear ...

. The choriocapillaris was first described in man by Hovius in 1702, although it was not so named until 1838, by

Eschricht Daniel Frederik Eschricht (18 March 1798 – 22 February 1863) was a Danish zoologist, physiologist, and anatomist known as an authority on whales. He was born in Copenhagen, and studied medicine at Frederiks Hospital, graduating in 1822. He was a ...

. Passera (1896) described its form as star-shaped, radiating capillaries beneath the pigment epithelium of the retina, and Duke-Elder and Wybar (1961) have emphasized its nature as a network of capillaries in one plane. The choriocapillaris serves multiple functions that include sustaining the photoreceptors, filtering waste produced in the outer retina and regulating the temperature of

macula The macula (/ˈmakjʊlə/) or macula lutea is an oval-shaped pigmented area in the center of the retina of the human eye and in other animals. The macula in humans has a diameter of around and is subdivided into the umbo, foveola, foveal avas ...

. The capillary wall is permeable to plasma proteins which is probably of great importance for the supply of

vitamin A Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin and an essential nutrient for humans. It is a group of organic compounds that includes retinol, retinal (also known as retinaldehyde), retinoic acid, and several provitamin A carotenoids (most notably bet ...

to the

pigment epithelium The pigmented layer of retina or retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is the pigmented cell layer just outside the neurosensory retina that nourishes retinal visual cells, and is firmly attached to the underlying choroid and overlying retinal visual ce ...

. The choroidal blood vessels can be divided into two categories: the choriocapillaris, and the larger caliber arteries and veins that lie just posterior to the choriocapillaris (these can easily be seen in an albino fundus because there is minimal pigment obscuring the vessels). The choriocapillaris forms a single layer of anastomosing, fenestrated capillaries having wide lumina with most of the fenestrations facing toward the retina. The lumen is approximately three to four times that of ordinary capillaries, such that two or three red blood cells can pass through the capillary abreast, whereas in ordinary capillaries the cells usually course single file. The cell membrane is reduced to a single layer at the fenestrations, facilitating the movement of material through the vessel walls. Occasional (pericyte)s (Rouget cells), which may have a contractile function, are found around the capillary wall.

Pericyte Pericytes (previously known as Rouget cells) are multi-functional mural cells of the microcirculation that wrap around the endothelial cells that line the capillaries throughout the body. Pericytes are embedded in the basement membrane of blood ca ...

s have the ability to alter local blood flow. The choriocapillaris is densest in the macular area, where it is the sole blood supply for a small region of the retina. The choriocapillaris is unique to the choroid and does not continue into the ciliary body.

References

External links

* https://web.archive.org/web/20070927210324/http://www.trinity.edu/rblyston/MicroA/Lectures/L31-html/sld015.htm Angiology Human eye anatomy {{eye-stub