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Age-related changes in eye lens biomechanics, morphology, refractive index and transparency

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posted on 2023-07-26, 15:14 authored by Catherine Cheng, Justin Parreno, Roberta B. Nowak, Sondip K. Biswas, Kehao Wang, Masato Hoshino, Kentaro Uesugi, Naoto Yagi, Juliet A. Moncaster, Woo-Kuen Lo, Barbara K. Pierscionek, Velia M. Fowler
Life-long eye lens function requires an appropriate gradient refractive index, biomechanical integrity and transparency. We conducted an extensive study of wild-type mouse lenses 1-30 months of age to define common age-related changes. Biomechanical testing and morphometrics revealed an increase in lens volume and stiffness with age. Lens capsule thickness and peripheral fiber cell widths increased between 2 to 4 months of age but not further, and thus, cannot account for significant age-dependent increases in lens stiffness after 4 months. In lenses from mice older than 12 months, we routinely observed cataracts due to changes in cell structure, with anterior cataracts due to incomplete suture closure and a cortical ring cataract corresponding to a zone of compaction in cortical lens fiber cells. Refractive index measurements showed a rapid growth in peak refractive index between 1 to 6 months of age, and the area of highest refractive index is correlated with increases in lens nucleus size with age. These data provide a comprehensive overview of age-related changes in murine lenses, including lens size, stiffness, nuclear fraction, refractive index, transparency, capsule thickness and cell structure. Our results suggest similarities between murine and primate lenses and provide a baseline for future lens aging studies

History

Refereed

  • Yes

Volume

11

Issue number

24

Page range

12497-12531

Publication title

Aging

ISSN

1945-4589

Publisher

Impact Journals

File version

  • Published version

Language

  • eng

Legacy posted date

2021-02-15

Legacy creation date

2021-02-15

Legacy Faculty/School/Department

Faculty of Health, Education, Medicine & Social Care

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