Research Paper Volume 11, Issue 24 pp 12497—12531

Figure 14. Wild-type mouse lenses in the B6 genetic background showed increased volume, nucleus size and overall stiffness, changes in cell morphology and microstructure along with appearance of anterior, cortical and ring cataracts with age. Lens volume and nucleus volume increase steadily with age. The shape and size of lens fiber cells become more disorganized in aged lenses. With age, mouse lenses develop anterior and cortical cataracts. Anterior cataracts are correlated with detachment of the anterior epithelial cells from the underlying fiber cells. Cortical ring opacities in the aged lenses are due to a zone of compaction in the cortical fiber cells leading to an optical discontinuity. While there is a steady increase in lens stiffness with age, resilience, or lens elasticity, is only increased in very old lenses. The maximum refractive index at the center of the lens (nucleus) increases rapidly until 6 months of age and reaches a plateau at 6 months. Lens capsule thickness and fiber cell width remain steady after 4 months of age, while epithelial cell area increases slightly between 4 and 12 months of age. Cartoons not all drawn to scale.