Abstract
Purpose: :
The avascular nature of the lens is threatened by various changes in the anterior segment of the eye. Multi traumatic events or targeted and controlled injury of tissues in the environment may as well as some diseases are some of the challenging factors. The result may be formation of posterior synechiae with the lens or lens capsule with secondary vascular growth on the lenssurface. Similarities do exist in some diseases involving more or less localized intraocular neo-vascularization. The factors involved are many but the spectrum and presence of acting anti-angiogenetic agents is very restricted. The findings in man and animal may differ. We have hence investigated the presence of anti-angiogenetic proteins in the human lens.
Methods: :
Human lens material was retrived during routing cataract surgery and other lens surgery. Paraffin embedding was followed by standard immunohistochemistry was performed using various antibodies
Results: :
Most prominent was the presence of pigment epithelium derived factor (PEDF).
Conclusions: :
It was shown that pigment epithelial derived factor is present in notable amounts in the regenerating human lens. The mechanisms of its regulation and interaction with other factors needs to be investigated. The ability of lens cells to produce PEDF, does suggest that some cells remaining in the capsular bag after cataract surgery could have a protective role against vascularisation in the anterior regment of the eye.
Keywords: cataract • anterior segment • wound healing