Additional details for
Katie Clark, D. Borchman, and D. Tang (Chemistry)
"The influence of the inhibitor caloxin on the PMCA pump in organ cultured porcine lenses and human lens cell cultures"
The Kentucky Academy of Science, November 9-11, December 31, 1969
Calcium homeostasis is essential to lens clarity. Calcium is elevated in all cataractous lenses. A plasma membrane calcium pump, PMCA, is essential for removing calcium from the cytoplasm. My study focuses on the impact of PMCA on calcium homeostasis. The PMCA specific inhibitor, caloxin, was used to determine if the inhibition of PMCA causes lens calcium to rise in organ cultured porcine lenses and cell cultured human lens epithelium. Caloxin caused the levels of calcium to increase in organ cultured porcine lenses. H2O2 and caloxin treatment also caused calcium levels to rise in cell cultured epithelium. This confirms that PMCA viability is a factor in maintaining calcium homeostasis in the lens. Therapies to keep PMCA viable could potentially prevent the onset of cataracts in humans.
"The influence of the inhibitor caloxin on the PMCA pump in organ cultured porcine lenses and human lens cell cultures"
The Kentucky Academy of Science, November 9-11, December 31, 1969
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