The influence of storage method on the transparency of pig crystalline lens.

Cristina Artigas,María M López-Murcia,Adriana Fandiño,Rafael Araujo-Miranda,José M Artigas,Amparo Navea,Francisco Bosch-Morell

doi:10.5935/0004-2749.20190011

Abstract

The porcine eye is frequently used as a research model. This paper analyzes the effect of different storage methods on the transparency of pig crystalline lens. A spectral transmission curve (from 220 to 780 nm) for the crystalline lens was determined experimentally after storage in different conditions: saline solution, formalin, castor oil, and freezing at -80°C. The total transmission in the visible spectrum, which was used as an index of transparency, was calculated from these curves. For comparative purposes, fresh lenses were evaluated and used as controls. Storing the porcine crystalline lens in saline solution or castor oil resulted in a transparency loss of approximately 10% after 24 h and storage in formalin resulted in a loss of nearly 30%. Storage by freezing at -80°C for 4 weeks maintained the transparency of the crystalline lens; the spectral transmission measured immediately after defrosting at room temperature coincided exactly with that of the freshly extracted lens. The transparency of porcine crystalline lens is affected by the storage method. The visible spectrum is the most affected, evidenced by the effect on the transparency and consequently the amount of light transmitted. The results show that freezing at -80°C maintains the transpa rency of the crystalline lens for at least 4 weeks.

Highlights

In studies of both human and animal ex vivo crystalline lenses, transparency is one of the most frequently investigated optical properties as it is related to cataracts, the capacity to filter ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and aging of the crystalline lens in general
Storing the porcine crystalline lens in saline solution or castor oil resulted in a transparency loss of approximately 10% after 24 h and storage in formalin resulted in a loss of nearly 30%
It can be deduced that the spectral transmission, and the transparency of the porcine crystalline lens, is affected by the storage method

Summary

Introduction

In studies of both human and animal ex vivo crystalline lenses, transparency is one of the most frequently investigated optical properties as it is related to cataracts, the capacity to filter ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and aging of the crystalline lens in general. One of the studies[2] was conducted to demonstrate that both the capacity of the crystalline lens for forming images and its transmissivity in the visible part of the spectrum remain more or less unaltered for a long time, regardless of the metabolic changes that occur post-mortem. To this end, the author experimentally determined the optical density for four wavelengths (381, 405, 469, and 595 nm) and reported that in order to establish a link between metabolism and optical performance, re-examination would be required

Methods

Results

Conclusion