Optical function and mitochondrial metabolic properties in damage and recovery of bovine lens after in vitro carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone treatment.

In order to elucidate the correlation between lens optical function and metabolic function, in vitro bovine lens optical quality and mitochondrial integrity was measured following treatment with carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (the mitochondrial depolarizing agent, CCCP). The results indicate that in vitro exposure to CCCP resulted in concentration and time-dependent loss of sharp focus. The concentrations tested included 65.0, 32.5, 16.25 and 8.125 microm CCCP. Lenses treated with two lower concentrations show recovery from damage at the 24-h scan point. In lenses treated with 65 microM CCCP, mitochondria in lens epithelial and superficial cortical fibre cells appeared short and swollen. The results of this study indicate that lens optical function and mitochondrial integrity are closely correlated.