The Effect of Calcium on the Cations of Calf Lens

Abstract

Introduction There are special problems confronting the biochemists interested in the study of the intermediary metabolism of the intact lens. Most important of these is the relatively low metabolic activity of the lens. Procedures, therefore, must be employed which allow a longer period of incubation than customarily used for other tissues. These procedures must take into account the rather delicate nature of the lens. Excessive handling or trauma incurred during the experiment may increase permeability and alter metabolism of the lens leading to erroneous conclusions. The outstanding work of Kinsey and his associates¹ in developing the lens culture technique has overcome many of the difficulties. The design of the lens tube minimizes trauma during the incubation of the lens. With slight modifications the lens culture technique can also be used in tracer studies.² Some of our findings, emerging from an attempt to adapt the Kinsey method to the