title: In vitro growth of lens epithelial cells from cataract patients - association with possible risk factors for posterior capsule opacification.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Inter-individual differences in intrinsic proliferative capacity of lens epithelial cells may have importance for the risk of developing posterior capsule opacification (PCO) after cataract surgery. The purpose of the present study was to determine growth of human lens epithelial cells (HLEC) in culture and investigate possible associations with clinical characteristics of the donors, such as age, sex, pseudoexfoliation, uveitis and diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pieces of lens capsule and adhering lens epithelial cells were obtained through capsulorhexis at cataract surgery. Specimens were cultured in a humidified CO2-incubator using standard culture medium and 5% fetal calf serum for two weeks after which cultured cells were stained with carboxy-fluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester. Image processing software was used to determine the area of the confluent epithelial cell layer in relation to the size of the original capsule specimen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The increase in area of confluent HLEC showed a negative correlation with diabetes at the first week after surgery. Lower age and female sex showed border-line significant associations with a higher rate of cell proliferation. The presence of pseudoexfoliation in vivo did not significantly affect cell growth in culture postoperatively. Nor did installation of xylocain in the anterior chamber during surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diabetes is associated with lower rate of proliferation of lens epithelial cells in culture. The lack of strong correlations between in vitro growth and known risk factors for PCO in the donors suggest that other factors than the proliferative capacity of the cells per se are important for PCO formation.
authors: Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Section of Clinical Neuroscience and Rehabilitation/Ophthalmology.
authors: Karin
authors: K
authors: Sundelin
authors: Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Section of Clinical Neuroscience and Rehabilitation/Ophthalmology.
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Petersen
authors: Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Medical Chemistry and Cell Biology, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors: Yalda
authors: Y
authors: Soltanpour
authors: Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Section of Clinical Neuroscience and Rehabilitation/Ophthalmology.
authors: Madeleine
authors: M
authors: Zetterberg
keywords: Cataract; lens; posterior capsule opacification; primary cell culture; risk factors.