An in vivo and in vitro study of the embryonic and adult lop mutant congenital cataractous lens.

A detailed histological study of the embryonic and adult congenital cataract Lop mouse lens has been made. A comparison with the congenital cataract (CatFr) mouse lens has shown that the full range of lens anomalies noted in the congenital cataractous mice are very similar. However, the Lop mutant demonstrates these defects to a greater degree in both the embryonic and adult stages. The lens epithelial cells of the Lop adult lens have been cultured to ascertain their in vitro phenotype. These studies have shown that the proliferation pattern and population doubling level are similar to that of the CatFr lens epithelial cells. A comparison with non-cataractous mouse lens epithelial cells demonstrates that the congenital cataractous mice lens epithelial cells have a very limited life span in vitro. An increase in the nuclear diameter with population doubling level was observed in the cultured mouse lens epithelial cells.