Ultrastructure of the Experimentally Induced Cataract in Porcine Crystalline Lens

ABSTRACT

One of the purposes of this experiment is to observe the structure of crystalline lens with cataract, which is formed artificially, using the light microscope and electron microscope. The other is to observe the differences of structural variations in the cataract developed inside body. Twelve eyes of six pigs were used for this experiment. Two of them are normal crystalline lens, five are cystalline lens in distilled water, and the rest are in balanced salt solution through intact or ruptured capsule. We examined the time of cataract formation and compared the ultrastructural changes. Ruptured capsule and high osmotic pressure difference induced more rapid opacity. In case of distilled water, the capsule is maintained but it is very difficult to distinguish between epithelium and lens fibers. Also, there is a severe crack in the lens fibers. In electron microscopic, as the cataract progresses, the osmotic swelling becomes more prominent. One of the striking changes was a marked intercellular cyst formation. Lens cells became irregular in size and density and were extensively vacuolated. The swelling of the lens cells continuously induced large intracellular vacuoles and liquefied the cytoplasmic protein. In conclusion, the structural change of cataract, which was seen by an electron microscope, resulted from change in osmolarity from previously announced in vivo experiment and structural change resulted from this experiment are similar.