DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF TRANSPARENCY IN LENSES

拟议的研究计划将建立顺序步骤， 透镜透明度的发展。 本研究将是定量研究 使用计算机辅助三维技术研究透镜细胞的生长和发育 重建以确定结构和化学之间的关系 参数和分析：透明域和不透明域的尺寸 不同发展阶段;浓度和空间分布 Ca、Mg、P、S、H、K、Na、Cl;以及标记有 胆固醇和磷脂探针。 以前的研究已经确定了可逆的途径， 在白内障发展的早期阶段的细胞重组。 我 表明这些重组机制不是自发出现的 当透镜细胞暴露于白内障条件下，但以正常 白内障发病前的细胞和正常发育中的功能 和保持透镜的透明度。 因此，白内障的早期阶段 重组可以通过研究控制机制来理解 正常的细胞重组，与病理条件无关。 的 这些机制的研究将使用三维计算机辅助成像， 分析显影透镜的结构与成分之间的关系 细胞 光学显微光谱和激光/核磁共振的新方法 将开发数据收集仪器。 我建议使用 从这项研究中获得的信息作为新方法的基础， 在动物体内防止混浊和保持透明度， 人类的眼睛

The proposed research program will establish the sequential steps in the development of lens transparency. The research will be quantitative study of lens cell growth and development using computer aided 3-dimensional reconstructions to define relationships between structural and chemical parameters and to analyze: dimensions of transparent and opaque domains at different stages of development; concentrations and spatial distributions of Ca, Mg, P, S, H, K, Na, Cl; and areas of surfaces labeled with cholesterol and phospholipid probes. Previous research has led to the identification of reversible pathways for cellular restructuring during the early stages of cataract development. I suggest that these mechanisms of restructuring do not appear spontaneously when lens cells are exposed to cataractous conditions, but exist in normal cells before the onset of cataracts and function in the normal development and maintenance of lens transparency. Thus, early stages of cataract restructuring may be understood by studying the mechanisms controlling normal cell restructuring, quite apart from pathological conditions. The study of these mechanisms will use 3-dimensional computer aided imaging to analyze relationships between structure and composition of developing lens cells. New methods of light microspectrometry and LASER/NMR instrumentation will be developed for data collection. I propose to use the information gained from this study as the basis for new methods for prevention of opacification and maintenance of transparency in animal and human eyes.