Fig. 4.

AnkB and Prx deficiency is associated with decreases in lens stiffness. Stiffness analyses of lenses derived from AnkB^−/+, Prx^−/− (1 and 5 mo old), and corresponding WT mice were carried out using a microstrain analyzer. A: representative real-time tracing of lens compressive stress/strain responses. Changes in Young's modulus were calculated from the lens prerupture stress/strain slope values shown in A. While both the AnkB^−/+ (C and E) and Prx^−/− (B and D) lenses derived from older (5 mo old; D and E) mice showed a significantly decreased Young's modulus compared with WT, confirming decreased stiffness, AnkB^−/+ lenses from 1-mo-old mice did not show changes in lens stiffness relative to the Prx^−/− mouse lenses (B and C). Values are means ± SE estimates from 8–10 independent analyses. *P < 0.05.