A Preliminary Note on Protein-SH Reaction of the Human Cataractous Lenses

Abstract

1. Histochemical -SH group reaction was studied in normal, senile gray cataractous, brown cataractous and congenital cataractous human lenses, using DDD, RSR (mercury orange) and tetrazolium methods.2. The normal human lens gave an intens -SH group reaction both in the cortex and the nucleus.3. A brown cataractous part of brown cataractous lenses gave a negative -SH group reaction to all the three methods employed, but the epithelium and transparent cortex remained positive to the -SH group reaction.4. However, a gray opaque part of inmature and mature senile cataractous lenses gave a positive -SH reaction though reduced in reactivity.5. A congenital cataractous lens with diffuse and disseminated opacities in the nucleus afforded almost normal reaction, and the opaque nucleus was more deeply stained than the relatively transparent cortex in contrast to that of a brown cataractous lens.6. The significance of negative -SH group reaction observed in a brown opaque part of brown cataractous lenses was discussed.7. The normal lens was massively deposited with diformazan granules when it was incubated for 24 hours in Nachlas medium for succinic dehydrogenase system. It was assumed that this massive diformazan deposition was due to both non-enzymatic and nothing dehydrogenase reactions.