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Scanning and transmission electron microscopy study of anterior lens epithelium in presenile cataract

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Abstract

Purpose

To study the structure of lens epithelial cells (LECs) in the anterior lens epithelium of presenile cataract and to further explore the possible reasons for presenile cataract development.

Methods

The anterior lens capsules (aLCs) of patients with presenile cataracts and patients with ordinary age-related cataracts were obtained from routine cataract surgery, and the 5–5.5 mm circles of the central aLC were cut in half and prepared for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Results

The most obvious structural changes in the LECs observed in both cataract groups by TEM were uneven thickness of the anterior lens epithelium, vacuolated cytoplasm and elongated nuclei. SEM showed abnormal structural changes in the LECs, with swollen cells and spheres on the anterior lens epithelium observed in both groups and holes formed by the LECs stretching observed only in the presenile cataract patients. The degeneration of the anterior lens epithelium and the structural changes in the LECs were observed more prominently in presenile cataract patients.

Conclusions

Abnormal and prominently affected structural features of LECs were observed in the presenile compared to age-related cataract patients by TEM and SEM. We suppose that ultrastructural pathological changes in the anterior lens epithelial cells are one of the important reasons for the development of presenile and age-related cataract.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by Grants 81670834 and 81970781 to Xingchao Shentu, Grant 81800807 to Xiajing Tang, Grant 81800869 to Xiaoning Yu from the National Natural Science Foundation of China; Grant LY17H090004 to Yelei Tang from the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Number 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

    Jing Wu, Jiayue Zhou, Xiyuan Ping, Xiayan Xu, Yilei Cui, Hao Yang, Qichuan Yin & Xingchao Shentu

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  1. Jing Wu
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  2. Jiayue Zhou
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  3. Xiyuan Ping
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  4. Xiayan Xu
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  5. Yilei Cui
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  6. Hao Yang
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  7. Qichuan Yin
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  8. Xingchao Shentu
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Correspondence to Xingchao Shentu.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the Second Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, and with the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Wu, J., Zhou, J., Ping, X. et al. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy study of anterior lens epithelium in presenile cataract. Int Ophthalmol 40, 1411–1418 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-020-01307-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-020-01307-6

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