Abstract
The lens, a major optical component of the eye, has a gradient refractive index, which is required to provide sufficient refractive power and image quality. The refractive index variations across the lens are dependent on the distributions and concentrations of the varying protein classes. In this study, we present the first measurements of the refractive index in the in situ eye lens from five species using a specially constructed X-ray Talbot grating interferometer. The measurements have been conducted in two planes: the one containing the optic axis (the sagittal plane) and the plane orthogonal to this (the equatorial plane). The results show previously undetected discontinuities and fluctuations in the refractive index profile that vary in different species. These may be linked to growth processes and may be the first optical evidence of discrete developmental stages.
Highlights
Structure/function relationships are often described in terms of cells and their constituents
Both properties: refractive power and transparency depend on the material properties of the lens which are derived from the crystallin proteins and their proportional distributions across the tissue
Other crystallin types have been identified in lenses of reptiles and amphibians [2]
Summary
Structure/function relationships are often described in terms of cells and their constituents. The links between structure and function can be observed in nature on a larger organizational scale This is applicable to an organ such as the eye and its components. The function of the eye lens is optical It needs to contribute sufficient refractive power to the eye so that light rays are directed to the photoreceptor cells in the retina. Regardless of crystallin types or proportions, lenses in all species investigated are transparent and have a refractive index gradient [3]
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