HEALING RESPONSE OF THE EPITHELIUM AFTER LATERAL NEEDLE INJURY OF MOUSE LENS

Characteristic changes of the epithelial healing process in germinativ e and equatorial zones of the ddY mouse lens were studied morphologica lly. After germinative zone injury, the wound was covered by prolifera ting epithelial cells which increased and migrated posteriorly as a fu nction of time after injury. Epithelial posterior migration from the l ens equator was mild. By contrast, with equatorial injury, the wound w as covered by proliferated epithelial cells. Moreover, the equatorial area was characterized by disconfiguration of the lens bow and posteri or epithelial migration. The results suggest that the larger capsulect omy in IOL operation, which damages the peripheral part of the lens ep ithelium, might contribute to secondary cataract.