Histochemical Electron Microscopic Findings of Traumatic Cataract in Rabbits by Ruthenium Red

ABSTRACT

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs)are essential components of the extracellular matrix of various tissues.They have been known to regulate cellular and extracellular environments for cell survival and differentiation in various physiologic and pathologic conditions.The present study was conducted to identify the distribution of GAGs in subepithelial cortical fibers of normal and traumatic cataractous lens of rabbits. Traumatic cataract was made by piercing the anterior lens capsule with 25-gauge sharp needle and the rabbits were killed at different time intervals (1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks).From the enucleated eyes subepithelial lens cortical fibers were obtained.A normal rabbit lens was used for the control. The specimens were stained with 0.05%ruthenium red (RR)and processed for histochemical electron microscopy. RR reactive materials were identified as fine granular or filamentous structures.In normal rabbit lens they were present mainly along the surface of lens epithelial cells, the surface of the subepithelial cortical fibers. In cataractous rabbits lens, strong RR positive reactions were observed along the surface of the lens epithelial cells and subepthelial cortical fibers as well as at the intercortical fiber spaces and even within its micro-organelles. This investigation resulted in an illustration of the ultrastructural distribution of GAGs in normal and traumatic cataractous lens of rabbit.this may suggest altered GAG distribution may closely related to the formation of lens opacity.