Immunopathology of the lens. II. 86Rb efflux and protein leakage from normal lenses exposed to antilens and antiuveoretina antibodies.

Normal rabbit lenses exposed in vitro to heterologous antilens and antiuveoretina antibodies lose control of the intracellular 86Rb and this effect is followed by a late leakage of lenticular proteins; both phenomena take place only in the presence of complement. This antibody-induced complement-dependent membrane damage might be involved in the pathogenesis of complicated cataracts in uveitis and in the self-maintenance of recurrent uveal inflammations.