PURPOSE: We investigated the adhesion rate and morphologic change of lens epithelial cell (LEC) according to materials of intraocular lens (IOL). With the results, we estimated the appearance and characteristics of posterior capsular opacity after cataract extraction. METHODS: LECs were prepared from fresh bovine lens. Hydrophobic acylic IOLs such as Acrysof(R) and Sensar(R) and hydrophilic acrylic IOLs such as Corneal(R) were tested. On the days 2, 9 and 12 of LEC culture, we calculated the adhesion rate and observed the cellular morphologic changes. Immunostaining with alpha smooth muscle actin (SMA) was performed. RESULTS: Adhesion rate was higher in hydrophilic lens on the days 2 and 9 (p-value=0.029). Acrysof(R) had the lowest adhesion rate. LEC in hydrophobic IOL showed differentiation to myofibroblast that was strong positive for SMA. LEC in hydrophilic IOL preserved natural cellular morphology until the day 12. Immunostaining with SMA was nearly negative. CONCLUSIONS: Hydrophobic acrylate induced much differentiation from LEC into myofibroblast, but had low adhesion rate. Hydrophilic acrylate does not induce the differentiation, but has high adhesion rate.
Actins ; Cataract Extraction ; Epithelial Cells* ; Lenses, Intraocular* ; Muscle, Smooth ; Myofibroblasts