Customized In Vivo Ocular Models ace

- By Animal Species
- By Disease

Get in Touch ace

* First Name:
* Last Name:
* Business Email:
Phone:
Company/Institution:
Job Title:
* Services of Interest: Customized Animal Models of Cataract
When do you expect your project to start?
Project Description:
* All of our services and products are intended for preclinical research use only and cannot be used to diagnose, treat or manage patients.
* Tick to confirm the Research Use Only (RUO) statement.

Customized Animal Models of Cataract

Ace Therapeutics provides integrated preclinical contract research services dedicated to the evaluation of novel therapeutics for cataract. Our platform supports end-to-end preclinical development, ranging from mechanism-based model selection to comprehensive efficacy assessment. Whether you are validating a new target or characterizing a lead candidate, our team provides scientifically rigorous imaging and biochemical data to assist your research goals.

Cataract Pathophysiology and Preclinical Needs

Cataract is characterized by loss of lens transparency driven by protein aggregation, oxidative and metabolic stress, and disruption of lens epithelial and fiber cell architecture. Following surgical or experimental injury, residual lens epithelial cells can proliferate, migrate and undergo epithelial–mesenchymal transition on the capsule, leading to fibrotic opacification and posterior capsule opacification. Preclinical cataract research therefore relies on well-characterized animal models that recapitulate lens opacity and wound-healing responses in the capsular bag to investigate pathogenic mechanisms and to assess investigational drugs, intraocular implants, and ocular delivery strategies.

Fig. 1. Schematic of in vivo surgical procedure for mouse cataract surgery modeling. Fig. 1. Schematic of the in vivo surgical technique that mimics cataract surgery in a mouse model. (O'Neill LM, et al., 2023)

Explore Our Animal Models of Cataract

Our cataract animal model platform supports diverse cataract induction paradigms, including approaches for lens opacity induction and cataract surgery, and enables evaluation of subsequent wound-healing responses in the capsular bag. We flexibly support various administration routes, including topical drops, intracameral and intravitreal injection, as well as systemic delivery, enabling robust in vivo evaluation of candidate drugs, intraocular implants, and ocular delivery systems. Our goal is to provide customized animal models of cataract that match the needs of each project and offer a rigorous in vivo setting for preclinical cataract studies.

Preclinical Evaluation Services in Animal Models of Cataract

Our scientists employ ophthalmic imaging and analytical techniques to quantify lens transparency, monitor wound-healing responses in the capsular bag, and conduct longitudinal assessment of test-article effects. By combining standardized ophthalmic imaging readouts with functional assessments, we support preclinical cataract programs from exploratory studies to candidate evaluation.

Slit Lamp Examination and Lens Photography

Serial slit lamp assessment and high-resolution anterior segment imaging are used to document lens clarity, capsular changes, and posterior capsule opacification, with standardized grading scales to compare groups over time.

Lens Opacity Quantification and Image-Based Analysis

Digital images of the lens and capsule are analyzed using predefined scoring systems and image analysis software to quantify opacity, nuclear density, and capsular coverage, enabling objective comparison across study groups and test articles.

Optical Coherence Tomography and Anterior Segment Imaging

Anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) and related imaging modalities allow detailed evaluation of the lens, capsule, and anterior chamber, and can be used to monitor capsular thickening, cell proliferation, and implant position in longitudinal studies.

Histological Analysis of Lens and Capsule

Paraffin or frozen sections of the lens and capsule are processed for routine staining and immunostaining to assess lens fiber structure, capsule integrity, and fibrotic changes, including markers related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), extracellular matrix remodeling, and inflammatory cell infiltration.

Molecular and Biochemical Assays

Lens and capsular tissues can be analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), protein assays, and cytokine profiling to characterize signaling pathways, oxidative and metabolic stress, and inflammatory responses associated with cataract formation and posterior capsule opacification.

Do not let the complexity of cataract pathogenesis slow your discovery efforts. By leveraging our specialized, mechanism-based animal models and comprehensive analytical platforms, you can obtain preclinical data to support selection of your next drug candidate. Ace Therapeutics supports your research program through rigorous, tailored studies in cataract models. Partner with us to strengthen your ophthalmic research. Contact us to discuss your preclinical cataract research program and the most appropriate model and evaluation options.

References

O'Neill LM, Wang Y, Duncan MK. Modeling Cataract Surgery in Mice. J Vis Exp. 2023 Dec 1; (202): 10.3791/66050.
Liu YC, Wilkins M, Kim T, et al. Cataracts. Lancet. 2017 Aug 5; 390(10094): 600-612.

For Research Use Only.