Figure 9.

Plasma membrane connections between FCs in the posterior region of the human lens. Freeze-fracture (a) micrographs of the posterior region of a human lens reveal GJs between adjacent FCs (a, arrow). In freeze fracture images (b) and ultrathin sections (c), closely apposed plasma membranes (‘membrane kisses’) (c, arrowheads) between adjacent fibres at the cells' most capsular sides are observed. Although these structures are often considered as tight junctions, they do not reveal the typical melting of the outer leaflets of the membranes and more likely represent as yet unspecified adherens junctions. pf, p-face of fractured membrane.