Ultrastructural Changes Associated with the Induction and Reversal of a Chemically Induced Cataract

Abstract

Intraocular chemical injury results in extensive cytopathological changes in the retropupillary region of the lens. The epithelial cells exhibit cytolysis and superficial fibers are damaged. Cellular debris is also noted throughout the innermost aspect of an otherwise intact capsule. The injured region is repopulated by cells which migrate into the wound focus to form a multilayered epithelium. Lysis of the damaged capsular regions, in addition to phagocytolysosomal activity by the incoming epithelial cells, appears to play a major role in the restoration of capsule morphology and in the normalization of the epithelial monolayer and the cortical fibers. Autolysosomes and/or cytolysosomes detected in the multilayered epithelium are prime candidates for the removal of tissue debris from the injured lens. Reversal of the retropupillary opacity coincides with the restoration of lens cytoarchitecture.

Human Senile Cataract

“…2) Break-down of subepithelial lens fibres and epithelial cell tissue obviously takes place in ACSCO, as indicated by the occurrence of large intercellular epithelial vacuoles with cytoplasm being detached from the wall as well as by the apparent disintegration, liquefaction, and collapse of subepithelial cortex fibres. 3) The system described by Gorthy et al (1971) and Unakar et al (1977) for transporting decomposed lens fibre material via the epithelium was present in epithelium and cortex. This system comprises multivesicular bodies, dense bodies and vesicles.…”

Scanning Electron Microscopy of Opaque and Transparent States in Reversible Calf Lens Cataracts

“…1969;von Sallmann, 1957;Shinohara et al, 1978;Unakar et al, 1977]; coarse granules [Hamai et al, 1974;Leim-the et al, 1975;Philipson, 1973;Unakar et al, 1978] or disrupted membranes / Dilley et al, 1975;Eshaghian et al, 1978Gorthy, 1978Greiner and Chylack, 1976;Matsuto, 1973;Philipson. 1973;Unakar et al, 1978;Creighton et al, 1978], While such extensive cytological damage certainly contributes to light scattering in cataractous lenses, it is likely that these changes are advanced and irreversible alterations of lens cell structure.…”

Humane Linsenzellen in der Kultur12 - II. Charakterisierung von etablierten Linsenzelllinien und Testung auf Eignung für Zytotoxizitätsuntersuchungen -

“…der humanen Linsenzelllinien zur Zytotoxizitäts-testung Die multifaktorielle Pathogenese der Alterskatarakt[9] erfordert In-vitro-Systeme zur Auffindung von Risikofaktoren, die relativ einfach zu handhaben sind und den Verhältnissen am menschlichen Auge nahe kommen. Zur Auffindung solcher Risikofaktoren und von Substanzen, die die Kataraktentstehung verhüten, wurden vielfach neben Tierversuchen[2,5,17,24,33] Augenlinsen in der Organkultur[19,20,22,27] sowie Epithelzellen in der Primärkultur als Epithelkapselpräparate[6,7] oder auf einer rekonstituierten Basalmembran-Matrix[1] und subkultivierte Linsenepithelzellen[7,32] verschiedener Spezies eingesetzt. Unsere Untersuchungen zur Zytotoxizität ungesättigter Fettsäuren wurden an Epithelkapselpräpara-ten von Rinderlinsen und an subkultivierten bovinen Linsenzellen ausgeführt.…”