The effect of endotoxin-induced intraocular inflammation on the rat lens epithelium.

Intraocular inflammation induced by an intravitreal injection of Shigella endotoxin into the rat eye produces early changes in the number of dividing cells of the lens epithelium and affects the organization of the meridional rows. A depression in mitotic activity in the germinative zone is observed during the first 24 hr after injection. At 48 hr, despite the continued mitotic inhibition in the germinative zone, an increase in cell division occurs in the central zone. By 72 hr, the germinative zone mitosis reappears and exceeds control values, whereas the central zone mitotic activity returns to normal. At that time mitotic figures are found in the transitional zone. Disorganization of the meridional rows is seen as early as 12 hr after injection (the first time period observed) and reaches a peak by 48 hr. During the next 5 days, however, the severity of the disorganization diminishes. By the seventh day the rows appear, for the most part, fully recovered, and the mitotic activity reaches normal or near-normal levels in all regions. The details of these observations and their possible relationship to inflammatory cataracta complicata are discussed.