Cell biology of posterior capsular opacification

Posterior capsular opacification (PCO), a major complication of modern cata ract surgery, necessitates further surgical intervention in 10-50% of patie nts. PCO results from the growth and transdifferentiation of lens epithelia l cells left on the anterior capsule at the time of cataract surgery. These cells proliferate to form monolayers on the capsular surfaces, and such mo nolayers continue to line the anterior capsule leaflet many years after sur gery. Some cells, however, differentiate or undergo a transition to another cell type, and these processes greatly contribute to PCO. Equatorial diffe rentiation of cells to fibre-like structures leads to Soemmerring's ring fo rmation and peripheral thickening of the capsular bag. Closer to the rhexis , cell swelling can result in globular Elschnig's pearls, which may occlude the visual axis. Cells at the rhexis edge and those in the space around th e optic appear to undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transition. The resulting cells are fibroblastic in morphology, express the smooth muscle isoform of actin and secrete extracellular matrix containing proteins not normally pre sent in the lens.