Morphological and cell volume changes in the rat lens during the formation of radiation cataracts

Thesis/Dissertation · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5478201

Bredehoft, C C

Earlier studies showed that x-irradiation caused an initial increase in early postnatal rat lens epithelial cell volume followed by swelling of the underlying lens fibers. This suggested a correlation between damaged epithelial cell volume regulation and subsequent fiber cell swelling. To test this hypothesis, 4 wk.-old Sprague Dawley rats were injected with ({sup 3}H)-thymidine and, 24 hrs. later, their eyes were irradiated with either 4 or 12 Gy. Lenses were examined with a slit lamp and cataracts were graded on a scale of 1+ to 4+. The surface morphology of these lens fibers and their attachment at the posterior suture were examined by scanning electron microscopy. Lenses were also labeled with ({sup 35}S)-methionine and labeling of their crystalline, cytoskeletal and membrane proteins was examined by SDS-PAGE. Rats exposed to 4 or 12 Gy developed 0.5-1.5+ or 2.5-3.0+ cataracts, respectively, 10 to 16 wks, after x-irradiation. Epithelial and equatorial cells of both groups did not significantly increase in volume during this period. Autoradiography showed that affected fibers had been epithelial cells at the time of x-irradiation.

• Research Organization: Uniformed Services Univ. of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD (USA). Dept. of Medicine
• OSTI ID: 5478201
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550901 -- Pathology-- Tracer Techniques
560152* -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Animals
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AMINO ACIDS
AUTORADIOGRAPHY
AZINES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BODY
BODY AREAS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CATARACTS
CRYSTALLINE LENS
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DISEASES
DRUGS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ELECTROPHORESIS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
EYES
FACE
HEAD
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
LIPOTROPIC FACTORS
MEMBRANE PROTEINS
METHIONINE
MICROSCOPY
MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES
NUCLEI
NUCLEOSIDES
NUCLEOTIDES
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PROTEINS
PYRIMIDINES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RADIOINDUCTION
RADIOISOTOPES
RIBOSIDES
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SENSE ORGANS
SENSE ORGANS DISEASES
SULFUR 35
SULFUR ISOTOPES
THYMIDINE
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
X RADIATION