RT Journal Article
A1 KINOSHITA, JIN H.
T1 Mechanisms Initiating Cataract Formation Proctor Lecture
JF Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science
JO Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci.
YR 1974
VO 13
IS 10
SP 713
OP 724
SN 1552-5783
AB Osmotic swelling is a common feature of many cataracts. Sugar cataracts and hereditary mouse cataracts are two types in which osmotic changes play a prominent role. In sugar cataracts, the initial swelling brought about by polyol accumuation leads to an imbalance in the pump-leak equilibrium. The pump mechanism becomes unable to keep pace with the leaky membranes. The marked increases in Na and Cl eventually results in Donnan swelling. In the hereditary mouse cataract, the imbalance of the pump-leak system appears to be initiated by a deficiency of Na-K ATPase, a component of the cation pump mechanism. The inefficiency in the pump mechanism results in Na retention and osmotic swelling.
RD 11/25/2020