IN VITRO PRODUCTION OF STEROID CATARACT IN BOVINE LENS

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Fresh calf lenses incubated in nutritive media containing dexamethasone phosphate or ouabain in concentrations ranging from 1 .times. 10-4 M-1 .times. 10-8 M developed cortical opacification and showed significant inhibition of Na+-K+ ATPase activity. Over a 3 day incubation period the decrease in Na+-K+ ATPase activity correlated well with the observed decrease in light transmission. The degree of enzyme inhibition and decrease in light transmission varied directly with the concentration of dexamethasone phosphate and ouabain, with significant changes observed at physiologic and pharmacologic concentrations of these agents. Lenses incubated for 4 days in dexamethasone phosphate or ouabain showed substantial increases in water content and an increase in Na+ and a decrease in K+ concentration. Inhibition of the cation pump apparently may play a significant role in the formation of steroid cataract in vitro.