Generation of transparency and cellular organization in lens explants

Abstract

The lens grows via the proliferation and differentiation of lens epithelial cells into lens fibres. This differentiation process, thought to be controlled by factors present in the vitreous fluid, generates tightly-packed, parallel-aligned fibre cells that confer transparency to the lens. Using lens epithelial-cell explants we examined how explant orientation and growth factor treatment can affect cellular arrangement and explant transparency. Fibre cell differentiation was induced in lens explants by culturing cells with fibroblast growth factor (FGF) or bovine vitreous. Cell shape and arrangement was investigated using confocal microscopy, electron microscopy, immunofluorescence and in sit..