Experimental Study On The Mechanism Of Injuries And Pathology In Lens Of Rats With Seawater Immersion

Objective In the sea war, the injuries with seawater immersion will happen once the wounded soldiers who have opend wounded of eye balls fall in the sea. Sea water is the environment of high osmotic pressure,high concentration of sodium and alkali to the lens. In this project,we have analysised the concentration of Na⁺ K ⁺ Ca²⁺ Mg²⁺ and activity of Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase in the lenses with seawater immersion in the rats. Characteristic changes of morphology have also been observed simultaneously. The experimental study has inquired into the mechanism ,process and treatment of the injuries .Methods Animal models of opend wounded of eye balls with seawater immersion were made in 55 white rats. At the different time following seawater immersion, the morphological changes of the anterior section of the rat were automatically observed and photographed with slitlampmicroscope. At 15min,30min 2h,4h and 1w following seawater immersion,the eye balls of experimental rats were enucleated ,and then were observed and photographed with light microscope transmitting and scanning electronmicroscope . At the different time following seawater immersion, the concentration of Na⁺, K⁺ Ca²⁺ Mg²⁺ in rat lenses was determined by ICP-MS.The experimental data was dealed and analyzed with statistical methold. At the different time following seawater immersion,the activity of Na⁺ , K⁺ -ATPase in the lenses of the rats was determined with RT-PCR. The experimental data was dealed and analyzed with statistical methold.Results: At 30 minutes with seawater immersion, the rat lenses in the experimental groups were apparently cloudy under slitlampmicroscope comparing with the control group. Following the prolongation of the time withseawater immersion,the cloudy of lenses gradually developed from anterior cortex to deep cortex.Finally,the lenses totally changed to cloudy. Observing with light and electron microscopes, epithelium on anterior capsules were early damaged. Furtherly, Gap junctions of the fiber cells in the cortex of lens were destroled.Extracellular space was filled with the solution.Consequently,cells of lens occur the degeneration and necrosis.Early management by suturing the wounded,the cloudy lenses could change the transparency.Following the prolongation of the time with seawater immersion, the concentration of Na\ Ca2+ -? Mg2+ gradually and significantly increased ,but the concentration of K+ gradually and significantly decreased in the rat lenses. There are close relationship between the changes of concentration of Na+> K+> Ca2+ ?. Mg2+ and the morthology in the rat lenses of the experimental groups.The expression of Na+, K+-ATPase in the rat lenses of the experimental groups increased due to the compensation in early experimental time, and then gradually decreased following the prolongation of the time due to the malcompensation. The experimental results show that there are close relationship between the changes of The expression of Na+, K+-ATPase and the damages of tissues in the rat lenses of the experimental groups.Conclusions The characterastics of the damages in the rat lenses with seawater immersion are the process of acute injuries,early damages in the epitheliums of anterior capsul.The pathalogical changes quickly developed to the superior cortex,and then to deep cortex. Finally,cells of the lenses occued swell,degeneration and necrosis.The cloudy lenses could change the transparency with early management. There are a close relationship between the expression of activity on Na+, K+-ATPase ,the changes of concentration of Na\ K"\ Ca2+ ^ Mg2+ ,and the histological damages in the rat lenses of the experimental groups.