Morphogenesis of diabetes-induced congenital cataract in the rat.

The eye development of rat fetuses and pups from normal and streptozotocin-diabetic mothers was studied histologically in order to verify the morphopathogenesis of congenital cataract. The first signs of lens alterations were observed in 17-day-old fetuses from diabetic mothers. The fibres swelled up, became hydropic and subsequently degenerated, giving rise to large cysts filled with amorphous material in the middle of the lens. The pathogenic route observed suggests an osmotic disturbance in the physiology of the lens fibres, probably related with an accumulation of some polyols.