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Early cytologic changes of Fraser cataract. An electron microscopic study.
Investigative Ophthalmology
|July 1, 1975
Summary
Early electron microscopy of Fraser strain mouse cataracts revealed abnormal cell development in the optic cup. These cellular changes, including endoplasmic reticulum dilation and reduced crystalline substance, led to lens opacity and degeneration.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Cataracts are a leading cause of vision impairment.
- Understanding early lens development is crucial for identifying disease mechanisms.
- The Fraser strain mouse provides a model for studying inherited cataract formation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the early ultrastructural changes in the cataractous lens of the Fraser strain mouse.
- To identify specific cellular abnormalities during lens development that precede opacity.
Main Methods:
- Electron microscopy was used to examine the lens at an early developmental stage.
- Cytologic and morphogenetic features of lens cells were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Abnormalities were observed in the invaginating ectodermal cells of the early optic cup.
- Increased numbers of morphogenetically degenerating cells were noted.
- Lens cells showed dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum, vacuoles, and mitochondria, with reduced crystalline substance and polysomes.
- Apical swelling of lens cells occurred by the thirteenth and fourteenth fetal days, leading to opacity and subsequent degeneration.
Conclusions:
- Early developmental defects in lens cells, including endoplasmic reticulum dilation and impaired differentiation, precede cataract formation in the Fraser strain mouse.
- These ultrastructural changes contribute to lens opacity and cell degeneration.