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Anterior lens epithelial cells attachment to the basal lamina
Author(s) -
ANDJELIC S,
DRASLAR K,
HVALA A,
LOPIC N,
STRANCAR J,
HAWLINA M
Publication year - 2014
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/j.1755-3768.2014.s078.x
Subject(s) - basal lamina , confocal microscopy , confocal , transmission electron microscopy , epithelium , contact lens , lens (geology) , microscopy , scanning electron microscope , basal (medicine) , anatomy , chemistry , cytoplasm , biophysics , basement membrane , lamina lucida , electron microscope , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , ultrastructure , materials science , pathology , optics , nanotechnology , ophthalmology , medicine , composite material , physics , paleontology , endocrinology , insulin
Purpose The lens epithelium consisting of anterior lens epithelial cells (aLECs) is the first physical and biological barrier in the lens and the primary site of active transport and permeability. As the function of the lens epithelium is associated with the structural organization of the aLECs and the contacts the basal part of the aLECs have with the basal lamina (BL), we studied the aLEC structure, in particular aLECs attachment to the BL. Methods The aLCs (BL and associated aLECs) were obtained from routine uneventful cataract surgery, prepared for and studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and confocal microscopy. Results SEM shows that the basal surface of the aLECs (~10‐15 m) in contact with the BL is wrinkled (~1‐3 m) and also the aLECs extensions (~0.5‐3m) attached to the BL. Confocal microscopy images of the basal sections of the aLECs after membrane staining also suggest that the basal part of aLECs is wrinkled (~1‐3 m) . TEM shows in the aLECs basal parts, toward BL, the structures that look like entanglement (~1‐4 m). In cases where there is a swelling of the cytoplasm and offset of the aLECs from the BL, individual pins (~0.5‐2 m) that extend to the BL are visible by TEM. Conclusion We provide detail evidence about the structural organization of the aLECs, in particular about their basal side which is in contact with the BL. This is supported by the complementary use of 3 techniques, SEM, TEM and confocal microscopy, each of them showing the same morphological features, the extensions and the entanglements of the aLECs cytoplasmic membrane at the border with the BL. The basal surface of the aLECs is increased. It suggests the functional importance of the contact between aLECs and BL.