title: AFM study for morphological characteristics and biomechanical properties of human cataract anterior lens capsules.
abstract: The aim of this study was to quantitatively investigate the morphologies (surface roughness) and biomechanical properties (Young's modulus) of human anterior lens capsules (ALCs) for noncataract and cataract groups using atomic force microscopy. Eight human ALCs obtained during phacoemulsification from patients with senile cataracts (72 ± 13 years) were investigated in both the hydrated and dehydrated conditions. The cataract group showed clearly the proliferated lens epithelial cells (LECs) with a monomorphic cell structure, a diameter of 12.54 ± 4.31 μm, and a height of 0.23 ± 0.04 μm, whereas the control group showed no LECs. A substantial amount of false-positive calcification was observed caused by the deposition of remnants of dried salt solution. Cataract group showed significantly higher surface roughness (382.06 nm, p ≤ 0.001) than control group in the anterior side of ALCs, whereas cataract group showed significantly lower surface roughness (353.79 nm, p ≤ 0.001) than control group in their posterior side. Cataract group showed significantly higher Young's modulus (69.52 kPa, p ≤ 0.001) compared to the control group, regardless of the ALC side. Therefore, it is significant that this study provides a new method to examine the nanostructural characteristic and biomechanical property of human ALCs through a nanometer-scale resolution microscopy technique.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering and Healthcare Industry Research Institute, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Samjin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Hui-Jae
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Youjin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cheong
authors.forename: Jae-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Kyung-Hyun
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Hun-Kuk
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Young-Guk
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002386:Cataract / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D013499:Surface Properties