Abstract
Presentation Description :
The fine focusing function of the lens is intimately tied to tissue shape, elasticity, and stiffness. Recent studies have tested the relationship between biomechanical properties of lenses, namely stiffness and resilience/elasticity, to changes in cell cytoskeleton, morphology, and patterning. Data from various studies suggest that hexagonal fiber cell shape and precise alignment are not required for normal lens biomechanical properties. Rather, the intact capsule, specific F-actin networks, interdigitations between lens fibers, and the alignment of sutures between different shells of differentiating fibers are crucial for determining lens stiffness and/or resilience. In mouse lenses, the stiffness of the lens nucleus also does not affect the stiffness of the whole lens.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.