[Free carbohydrate content of the cortex and nucleus of bovine lenses as a function of ageing (author's transl)].

The determination of the products of the sorbitol pathway and of inositol in the equator and nucleus of bovine lenses of different ages, performed by gas-chromatographic analyses, is described. Independent of age, the proportion of glucose, sorbitol, and fructose is higher in the equatorial part than in the nucleus. The proportion of inositol is about 3 mg/1 g lens fresh weight in the equator, and about 2 mg/1 g lens fresh weight in the nucleus, and seems to decrease slightly with ageing.