Purpose: To study the structure of the anterior lens epithelial cells (aLECs) and the contacts of the aLECs with the basal lamina (BL) in order to understand their role in the lens epithelium's function.
Methods: The aLCs (BL and associated aLECs) were obtained from routine uneventful cataract surgery, prepared for and studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and confocal microscopy.
Results: SEM shows that the basal surface of the aLECs (~10-15 μm) is with aLECs foldings (~1-3 μm) and extensions (~0.5-3 μm) attached to the BL. Confocal microscopy images of the basal sections of the aLECs after membrane staining also suggest that the basal part of aLECs has foldings (~1-3 μm). TEM shows in the aLECs basal parts, towards BL, the structures that look like entanglement (~1-4 μm). In cases where there is a swelling of the cytoplasm and offset of the aLECs from the BL, individual extensions (~0.5-2 μm) that extend to the BL are visible by TEM.
Conclusions: We provide detail evidence about the structural organization of the aLECs, in particular about their basal side which is in contact with the BL. This is supported by the complementary use of three techniques, SEM, TEM and confocal microscopy, each of them showing the same morphological features, the extensions and the entanglements of the aLECs cytoplasmic membrane at the border with the BL. The basal surface of the aLECs is increased. It suggests the functional importance of the contact between aLECs and BL.
Keywords: cataract; cell morphology; lens; lens epithelial cells; lens epithelium; scanning electron microscopy; transmission electron microscopy.
© 2015 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.