Anterior lens epithelium in cataract patients with retinitis pigmentosa - scanning and transmission electron microscopy study.
OBJECTIVE
In retinitis pigmentosa (RP) patients, relatively minor lens opacity in central part of posterior pole of the lens may cause disproportionate functional symptoms requiring cataract operation. To investigate the possible structural reasons for this opacity development, we studied the structure of the lens epithelium of patients with RP.


METHODS
The anterior lens capsule (aLC: basement membrane and associated lens epithelial cells, LECs) was obtained from cataract surgery and prepared for scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM).


RESULTS
Both SEM and TEM show a number of abnormal features in the anterior lens epithelium of cataract patients with RP. The abnormalities appear mainly as holes, thinning and degradation of the epithelium, with the dimensions from <1 μm to more than 50 μm. Other types of holes in size up to 20 μm were seen that may be formed by gradual stretching of the lens epithelium. Another type of abnormalities was cracks that were seen between adjacent LECs, with dimensions 0.1-2 μm × up to 10 μm.


CONCLUSIONS
Abnormal structural features were observed in the anterior lens epithelium that may cause water influx into the lens. This may lead to clouding along the water clefts leading towards the posterior pole in the RP cataractous lens. We suggest that the lens epithelium has a role in the development of the cataract in patients with RP.
Eye Hospital, University Medical Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Sofija
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8130-728X
S
Andjelic
Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Kazimir
K
Drašlar
Department of Pathology, Medical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Anastazija
A
Hvala
Eye Hospital, University Medical Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Marko
M
Hawlina
D000328:Adult; D057866:Anterior Capsule of the Lens / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002386:Cataract / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012174:Retinitis Pigmentosa / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055815:Young Adult
cataract; cell morphology; lens epithelial cells; retinitis pigmentosa; scanning electron microscopy; transmission electron microscopy