Morphological aspects of human lens capsules

Lens capsules of patients of advanced age, obtained after extracapsular cataract surgery, were carefully prepared for a combined LM, TEM and SEM investigation, after preliminary washing and mounting onto a holder in a buffer solution. After pre-fixation with GA, samples were postfixed for LM/TEM and OsO₄/K₄Fe(CN)₆ and stained with toluidineblue/basic fuchsine for LM and with uranyl acetate/lead citrate for TEM; for SEM the GA-pre-fixed samples were post-fixed by the Tannine Arginine-OsO₄ non-coating technique. At LM-level discrimination between healthy and degenerating cells was possible after toluidine staining. At SEM-level protrusion of the cell nucleus and fibrillation and blebbing of the cell membrane as the result of capsular degeneration could be observed with the TAO-method. At TEM-level protrusion of the cell nucleus, degeneration of the cytoplasm, ballooning of the mitochondria, the presence of microfilaments and the occurrence of vacuoles were visible as the result of capsular degeneration on cataract formation.