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Lens's Physiology PDF
Lens's Physiology PDF
Lens's Physiology PDF
OF LENS
Presented by
DR RAKESH JAISWAL
ANATOMY OF LENS
DEFINITION : Lens is a transparent, biconvex, crystalline
structure
Position of Lens in Eye Ball :
Lens lies between post surface of iris & the vitreous in a
saucer shaped depression c/a patellar fossa.
Post surface of lens is in contact with vitreous &
attached to it in a circular area with Wiegert’s ligament.
Weight :
135 mg = 0 – 9 years.
255 mg = 40 – 50 years
Surfaces of Lens :
Two Surfaces – (i) Anterior (ii) Posterior
The ant. Surface is less convex & is a part of sphere
having radius of 8 to 14mm.
The post surface is more convex & is a part of sphere
having radius of 4.5 to 7.5 mm.
The two surfaces meet at the equator.
Equator is almost circular and has an undulated
appearance.
Poles of Lens :
Ant. Pole lies in centre of ant surface and is about 3mm
from the back of cornea.
Post pole lies in centre of post surface.
Refractive Index :
R/I of Lens is 1.39.
R/I of Cortex – 1.38
R/I of Nucleus – 1.42
Ref Power :
About 16 – 17 D.
CARBOHYDRATES
Glucose:–Level of glucose in lens is 1/10th of aqueous,
where glucose concentration has been found to be 100
mg%.
Fructose:–Produced from glucose.
Glycogen:–Lenticular glycogen is localised principally in
nucleus.
Sorbitol:–Presence of sorbitol has been demonstrated
in many species lens.
Inositol:–Presence is demonstrated in lens but function
is unknown.
LIPIDS
Total lipid of human lens amount to about 2.5% of wet
weight.
Main substances are cholesterol & various
phospholipids.
65% of lenticular lipid are bound to protein.
Feldman and Feldman have demonstrated that in
cataracts the concentration of free lipid increases &
lipoprotein decreases.
GLUTATHIONE
Glutathione present in lens varies from 3.5 to 5.5 mg%
of wet weight.
It’s amount altered with age.
It is a tripeptide & consist of 3 amino acids I.e. glycin,
cysteine and glutamic acid.
Glutathion contributes the redox system of lens micro-
environmental.
More than 95% of glutathion is reduced state.
ASCORBIC ACID
The mean value of ascorbic acid in human lens is 30 mg
% of wet weight of lens.
It is neither synthesized nor actively transported into
lens.
The precise role of ascorbic acid in lens metabolism is
not established.
METABOLIC ACTIVITIES OF LENS
GLUCOSE METABOLISM
Lens requires energy in form of ATP for it’s various
metabolic activities.
This energy (ATP) is achieved by glucose metabolism.
10-20% of ATP used in Protein synthesis.
Rest ATP used for transport of ions, amino acid,
maintenance of lens dehydration & transparency.
Most of ATP used at epithelial level.
3-4 mg. glucose/day is utilized by lens.
Glucose deprivation in lens can cause utilization of other
sources i.e. ATP, Sorbitol, furctos become hydrated, thus
loss of transparency.
GLUCOSE METABOLISM
SYNTHESIS
From free amino-acids which are actively transported
into lens from aqueous.
Peptides formed from amino acids with requires ATP &
RNA template.
Rate of protein synthesis is slow in nucleus than other
part of lens
BREAK DOWN
Protein catalyzed by enzyme peptidases & proteases.
Normally the process of autolysis is inhibited.
PERMEABILITY & TRANSPORT MECHANISM
ACTIVE TRANSPORT (90% of ATP used)
Transport of amino acid, K+, taurine, inositol & extrusion
of Na+.
PASSIVE TRANSPORT :
Occurs across the lens capsule for water, ions & waste
product of metabolism (lactic acid & CO2).