Radiation‐induced cataracts

Abstract

SummaryThe eye lens is not only a radiosensitive tissue, but also one where the response to ionising radiation (IR) is cell location specific. Moreover this behaviour affects the emergent properties of the cells in the lens epithelium causing deregulation of the normally geometrically constrained epithelial cells as that transition from the germinative zone to the meridional rows at the very periphery of the lens. Epithelial cells in the germinative zone are, however, much slower than either the central epithelial cells or isolated blood lymphocytes from the same animals in their repair of double strand breaks (DSBs). Here we describe the emergent cell behavior of peripheral lens epithelial cells that affects the “roundness of the lens”. This is an example of a nonlinear biological response induced by low dose IR exposure. It is a consequence of a non‐uniform increase in cell proliferation in the lens epithelium. The measurement of epithelial cell density and cell proliferation rates in the lenses of IR exposed animals is a key underpinning technology. We present a rapid imaging method to measure cell proliferation and density in the IR exposed lens and determine how IR affects the emergent properties of cells in the lens epithelium.