THE ORGANS OF SPECIAL SENSE 



555 



(4) Posterior elastic membrane or membrane of Descemet. 



(5) Posterior endothelium or endothelium of Descemet. 



(i) The anterior epithelium (Fig. 368, i) is of the stratified squa- 

 mous type and consists of from four to eight layers of cells. The 

 deepest cells are columnar and rest upon the anterior elastic mem- 

 brane. The middle cells are polygonal and are connected by short 



Fig 366. — Diagram of Eyeball showing Coats. (Merkel-Henle.) a, Sclera; b, 

 chorioid; c, retina; d, cornea; e, lens; /, iris; g, conjunctiva; h, ciliary body; i, sclero-cor- 

 neal junction and canal of Schlemm; j, fovea centralis; k, optic nerve. 



intercellular bridges. The surface cells are flat. Along the margin 

 of the cornea the epithelium is continuous with that of the conjunctiva 

 (Fig. 371). 



(2) The anterior elastic membrane (Fig. 368, 2) is a highly de- 

 veloped basement membrane, its anterior surface being pitted to 

 receive the bases of the deepest epithelial cells. It is apparently 

 homogeneous, and while called an elastic membrane, does not con- 

 form chemically to either fibrous or elastic tissue. By means of 

 special technic, a fibrillar structure has been demonstrated. 



