Pathological Changes of the Anterior Lens Capsule.

Wei Liu,Dandan Huang,Ruru Guo,Jian Ji

doi:10.1155/2021/9951032

Abstract

The anterior lens capsule (ALC), as the thickest basement membrane in the body, is an acellular, soft, smooth, transparent membrane secreted by lens epithelial cells. The ALC has its unique biomechanical properties to serve as a barrier and separate the lens from infectious viruses and bacteria together with the posterior capsule and pericapsular membrane. However, the biomechanical and ultrastructural properties of the ALC can be changed under certain conditions. Here, we provide a brief review of the pathological changes of the ALC in several eye disorders, including cataract, aniridia, climatic droplet keratopathy, exfoliation syndrome, true exfoliation syndrome, Alport syndrome, and silicone oil tamponade.

Highlights

Here, we provide a brief review of the pathological changes of the anterior lens capsule (ALC) in several eye disorders, which were never mentioned previously
The ALC with the lens epithelium represents a major site of ion transport and fluid transport, which plays a vital role in maintaining lens homeostasis and transparency by providing the driving force for the ionic gradients and the fluid circulation [4, 5]
Erefore, any factor disturbing the transport processes, components or biomechanical characteristics of the ALC, and morphology or biochemistry of the lens epithelium will lead to water accumulation in the lens and the subsequent unbalance of lens homeostasis, resulting in cataract formation [6]

Summary

Introduction

Several studies have verified that biomechanical properties of the ALC would change after vital dyes staining, including trypan blue, brilliant blue, and indocyanine green [9,10,11,12,13]. Degenerative changes (degeneration, necrosis, and loss) and proliferative changes (proliferation and double layer) of the lens epithelium were reported in familiar aniridia with cataract [19]. Several studies confirmed fibrils accumulation above or in the basement membrane of the ALC in XFS eyes [23,24,25,26,27,28], and another unknown, electron-dense, microgranular, unbound material was observed by transmission electron microscopy beneath the lens epithelium in XFS patients [29].

Results

Conclusion