The Emory mouse cataract: accumulation of free leucine and incorporation into protein by cataractous and clear lenses.

Leucine metabolism has been studied in the Emory mouse lens to determine if there is a correlation between the rates of leucine accumulation and incorporation and the stage of cataractogenesis. Developing cataracts were graded in vitro according to severity and then incubated in tracer leucine. There was no significant difference between grades with respect to leucine incorporation or accumulation of free leucine, although there was a gradual decrease in CL/CM as the cataracts increased in severity. The results showed a high degree of variability, especially for incorporation, leading to the conclusion that the morphological appearance of these cataracts is not predictive of their metabolic behavior as revealed by leucine accumulation or incorporation.