A simple and stable galactosemic cataract model for rats.

Rat galactosemic cataract is commonly used in the investigation of sugar cataract. In current study, 21-day sprague-dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into two groups (n=42), which were fed by normal water and galactose solution (12.5%-10%) for 18 days respectively. Every 3 days, lens opacity was observed by a slit lamp, and 6 rats of each group were executed for the analysis of aldose reductase (AR) activity, galactitol level and AR mRNA expression. Morphological results showed that small vacuoles initially appeared in the equatorial area before the 6th day, then subsequently extended to the whole anterior capsule, and eventually developed to mature cataract on the 18th day. AR of galactosemic lenses was significantly activated in the first stage and then slowly dropped to the end accompanied by the related changes of galactitol. AR mRNA expression also was upregulated and reached the peak at the 6th day. This study appears to confirm that galactosemic cataract can be induced for 21-day SD rats by only drinking 12.5% to 10% galactose solution, and this model is simple, economical and stable as to meet the research needs.