title: Electron microscopic investigation of anterior lens capsule in an individual with true exfoliation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the changes which occur in the anterior capsule in true exfoliation which is a very rare condition.
  
  
  METHODS
  The anterior capsule from a 93 year-old patient and 6 other patients with age-related cataract during capsulorhexis was examined via transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
  
  
  RESULTS
  TEM revealed apoptosis of lens epithelial cells in both two groups. Moreover, we observed lamellar delamination, granular belts in the anterior capsular zone and loss of the subcapsular epithelium cells in the posterior capsular zone, as well as abnormal fibrils located in the central capsular layer only in the sample from the patient with true exfoliation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest that loss of lens epithelial cells and appearance of abnormal fibrils is important in disease developing, and our study supported age-related degeneration is one of causative factors in true exfoliation.
authors.affiliation: Eye Center, the 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Xing-Chao
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Shentu
authors.forename: Ya-Nan
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Ying-Hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Su-Juan
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Ye-Lei
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Tang
keywords: age-related cataract; apoptosis; transmission electron microscopy; true exfoliation