The human lens is a complex organ whose transparency and proper function depend on the precise regulation of cellular processes. Calcium (Ca²⁺) signaling plays a crucial role
in the communication, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of lens epithelial cells (LECs), and its dysregulation has been linked to cataract development. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of TRPV1 channels in Ca²⁺ signaling and to address the effect of their blockade on the response of the lens epithelium to mechanical stimulation. We used postoperative lens capsules, obtained during cataract surgeries at Eye Hospital, UKC Ljubljana. The samples were stained with the fluorescent dye fura 2 and individual LECs were mechanically stimulated using a glass micropipette while monotoring the spread of Ca²⁺ signals. Our analysis demonstrated that the signal
propagates radially from the point of the stimulation, with response times incresing with distance. Addition of the TRPV1 antagonist capsazepine resulted in slower wave
propagation confirming the important role of these channels in signaling Ca²⁺ dynamics.
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