Vertebrate Visual Optics --Ontogeny Phylogeny and Function of the Lens

脊椎动物的眼睛由晶状体和角膜这两个屈光成分组成。晶状体是一种细胞结构，在生命中不断发育。透镜的光学（聚焦）功能由其形状和折射率分布决定。它还受调节（调节聚焦能力）是由晶状体（有时是角膜）形状的变化还是通过晶状体运动带来的影响。当眼睛在水中时，角膜基本上不会发生屈光。此外，在实验中，眼睛的光学发育可以通过剥夺眼睛的清晰视力来改变，特别是在眼睛生长期间。******项目将探讨：1)前硬骨鱼与硬骨鱼的晶状体光学功能虽然典型的（硬骨鱼）鱼类晶状体已经得到了一些实验关注，但代表早期进化发展的物种的晶状体却没有。申请人研制的激光扫描装置将用于研究各种现代和具有代表性的原始鱼类的透镜光学功能。2)蛇眼的光学发育蛇眼是覆盖在眼睛前部的透明鳞片，所有蛇都有。当皮肤脱落时，景象变得阴云密布。因此，蛇眼会周期性（每年1至4次）出现视力模糊。这种自然剥夺清晰视力对眼部屈光发展的影响将被研究，以确定屈光发展是否周期性地向近视方向移动。虽然眼睛和晶状体的纵向色差（波长对焦距的影响）很大，但年龄的影响并不明显。一种新的扫描激光系统，使用短波二极管激光（420纳米）和红色激光（630纳米），已经开发出来，并将使用动物透镜来检查这个问题。4)体外晶状体发育。透镜状体是透明的三维多细胞结构，由原代晶状体上皮细胞培养形成。各种生长因子在诱导晶状体形成中的作用将通过各种晶状体细胞培养来探讨。本研究的目的是增强晶状体上皮细胞的分化，以产生具有接近自然晶状体光学特性的晶状体。5)使用培养的眼组织作为体外眼毒理学试验。各种晶状体和角膜细胞培养将用于开发一系列可用于眼睛毒理学的检测方法，以便在评估使用新的眼部相关产品的风险的测试中尽量减少使用活体动物。*****

The vertebrate eye consists of two refractive components, the crystalline lens and the cornea.The lens is a cellular structure that continues to develop through life. Lens optical (focussing) function is governed by its shape and its refractive index distribution. It is also affected by whether accommodation (the ability to adjust the focussing power) is brought about by changes in lens (and sometimes corneal) shape or through lens movement. The cornea is essentially not refractive when the eye is in water. In addition, the optical development of the eye can be altered experimentally by depriving the eye of clear vision, especially during eye growth.******Projects will explore: 1)Pre-teleost vs. teleost lensoptical function While the typical (teleost) fish lens has received some experimental attention, that of species representing earlier evolutionary development have not. A laser scanning apparatus developed by the applicant will be used to study lens optical function in a variety of modern and representative primitive fish. 2) Optical Development of the Snake Eye The spectacle is a transparent scale that covers the front of the eye and is found in all snakes. When the skin is shed, the spectacle becomes cloudy. Thus, the snake eye is periodically (1 to 4 times per year) subject to blurred vision. The effect of this natural deprivation of clear vision on ocular refractive development will be investigated to see if refractive development is periodically shiifted in the myopic direction. 3)Chromatic Aberration of the Lens In Vitro While the longitudinal chromatic aberration (effect of wavelength on focal length) of the eye and lens is substantial, the influence of age is not clear. A new scanning laser system, using both a short wavelength diode laser (420nm) as well as a red (630nm) laser, has been developed and will be used to examine this issue using animal lenses. 4)In Vitro lens Development. Lentoids are transparent three-dimensional multicellular structures that form from primary lens epithelial cell cultures. The roles of various growth factors in inducing lentoid formation will be explored using a variety of lens cell cultures. The goal of this research is to enhance lens epithelial cell differentiation in order to produce lentoids with lens-like optical properties approaching that of the natural lens.  5) Use of cultured eyetissue as in vitro ocular toxicology assays. A variety of lens and corneal cell cultures will be used to develop a battery of assays that can be used in eye toxicology in order to minimize the use of live animals in testing to evaluate the risk of using new eye-related products.*****