Laboratory Study
Eye (2009) 23, 975–978; doi:10.1038/eye.2008.216; published online 11 July 2008
Transmission electron microscopy of the rabbit posterior capsule irrigated with thapsigargin and 5-fluorouracil in a sealed-capsule irrigation device
None of the authors have a proprietary or financial interest in any material, method, or product mentioned
M T Abdelwahab1, I Lindell2, K Hultenby2 and M Kugelberg1
- 1Department of Clinical Neuroscience, St Erik's Eye Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- 2Department of Laboratory medicine, Clinical Research Centre, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Correspondence: M Kugelberg, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, St Erik's Eye Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Polhemsgatan, Stockholm SE-112 82, Sweden. Tel: +46 8 672 30 00; Fax: +46 8 651 07 85. E-mail: maria.kugelberg@sankterik.se
Received 21 April 2008; Revised 11 June 2008; Accepted 11 June 2008; Published online 11 July 2008.
Abstract
Purpose
To investigate, by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the effect on the posterior capsule of a young rabbit eye of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or thapsigargin in a sealed-capsule irrigation device.
Setting
St Erik's Eye Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Methods
Clear lens extraction was performed unilaterally in eight 4-week-old rabbits. A sealed-capsule irrigation device was irrigated for 2 min with 20 ml of one of the following: balanced salt solution (BSS; n=2), thapsigargin 300 
M (n=2), 5-FU 50 mg/ml (n=2), or 5-FU 25 mg/ml (n=2). The substances were washed out for 10 s with BSS. The eyes were left aphakic. Six weeks postoperatively, the animals were killed, and the posterior capsule was extracted and fixed for TEM. As a control, we also evaluated the capsules from the two fellow eyes in the BSS group that did not undergo surgery.
Results
The ultrastructure of the posterior capsule in eyes irrigated with 5-FU or thapsigargin did not differ from that in the eyes irrigated with BSS or in the eyes that did not have surgery. The membranes had the same ultrastructure with thin collagen fibres on the anterior and posterior face of the posterior capsule and an amorphic matrix.
Conclusion
Thapsigargin or 5-FU used in a sealed-capsule irrigation device does not seem to harm the posterior capsule, which appeared similar to when the capsule is irrigated with BSS.
Keywords:
transmission electron microscopy, posterior lens capsule, sealed-capsule irrigation, Perfect Capsule, fluorouracil, thapsigargin, pediatric cataract surgery
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