title: Ultrastructural fragility and type IV collagen abnormality of the anterior lens capsules in a patient with Alport syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate ultrastructural and immunohistological abnormalities of the lens capsules in a patient with Alport syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two anterior lens capsules were obtained at phacoemulsification from a 43-year-old female patient with bilateral lenticonus who was affected by Alport syndrome. The right capsule was examined by transmission electron microscopy and the left capsule was stained with two monoclonal antibodies against the triple-helical domains of type IV collagen alpha2 and alpha5 chains.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Numerous vertical dehiscences with many disrupted interdigitations were observed in the right anterior lens capsule. Decreased reactivity of monoclonal antibodies against type IV collagen alpha5 chain and normal reactivity against the alpha2 chain were shown in the left anterior lens capsule.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ultrastructural fragility of the anterior lens capsules in this patient with Alport syndrome appears to be associated with the abnormality of the type IV collagen molecules including the alpha5 chain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takei
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Furuya
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hommura
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D007905:Lens Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009394:Nephritis, Hereditary / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018918:Phacoemulsification
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D003094:Collagen