Normal human lens—the distribution of protein

Abstract

The distribution of dry mass and protein was determined in 21 normal human lenses of different age. The lenses were obtained from enucleated tumor eyes and were immediately prepared for quantitative microradiography. The measurements were performed along the lens axis. In the anterior and posterior subcapsular cortex the dry mass content was about 0·2 g/cm 3 From this region there was an even and continuous increase over a distance of about 0·5 mm to a level of about 0·45 g/cm 3 . This level was fairly constant in the center of the lens. These results allowed a subdivision of the lens into a central lens core with a constant high concentration of dry mass and a peripheral zone with an increasing concentration from the periphery. No major changes with age in the dry mass levels could be found.