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Anterior lens epithelium in cataract patients with retinitis pigmentosa – scanning and transmission electron microscopy study
Author(s) -
Andjelic Sofija,
Drašlar Kazimir,
Hvala Anastazija,
Hawlina Marko
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/aos.13250
Subject(s) - lens (geology) , epithelium , retinitis pigmentosa , basement membrane , ophthalmology , corneal epithelium , anatomy , medicine , pathology , optics , physics , retinal
Purpose In retinitis pigmentosa ( RP ) patients, relatively minor lens opacity in central part of posterior pole of the lens may cause disproportionate functional symptoms requiring cataract operation. To investigate the possible structural reasons for this opacity development, we studied the structure of the lens epithelium of patients with RP . Methods The anterior lens capsule ( aLC : basement membrane and associated lens epithelial cells, LEC s) was obtained from cataract surgery and prepared for scanning and transmission electron microscopy ( SEM and TEM ). Results Both SEM and TEM show a number of abnormal features in the anterior lens epithelium of cataract patients with RP . The abnormalities appear mainly as holes, thinning and degradation of the epithelium, with the dimensions from <1 μ m to more than 50 μ m. Other types of holes in size up to 20 μ m were seen that may be formed by gradual stretching of the lens epithelium. Another type of abnormalities was cracks that were seen between adjacent LEC s, with dimensions 0.1–2 μ m × up to 10 μ m. Conclusions Abnormal structural features were observed in the anterior lens epithelium that may cause water influx into the lens. This may lead to clouding along the water clefts leading towards the posterior pole in the RP cataractous lens. We suggest that the lens epithelium has a role in the development of the cataract in patients with RP .