Ultrastructural investigations on anterior capsular cataract. Cellular elements and their relationship to basement membrane and collagen synthesis.

A reinvestigation of the cellular elements in anterior capsular cataract of six lenses was performed at the light and ultrastructural levels. In addition to the fibroblastic characteristics described by previous authors, the cells were found to contain sublemmal filaments classifiable as myofilaments, as typically present in myofibroblasts. Cell shape varies in a manner consistent with contractility. Apparently contracted cells predominate within capsular folds. The number of cells was found to decrease with increasing maturity of the cataract. In old cataracts, only degenerating cells are to be found. The significance of these observations is discussed, and it is concluded that the anterior capsular cataract is a process bearing considerable similarity to wound healing.