Morphological appearances of human lens epithelial cells in culture.

A system for culturing human lens epithelial cells in the laboratory was developed. The morphological appearances of the cells was studied using phase contrast, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Cell marker studies using monoclonal antibodies to cytokeratin, vimentin and epithelial membrane antigen were also performed. There was a marked increase in cell size as a function of time in culture. After 3 to 4 weeks cells showed early signs of ageing. By 6 to 8 weeks the majority of the cells had become very irregular in shape and demonstrated irregularities of the plasma membrane and intra-cytoplasmic vacuole formation. The cells stained strongly for vimentin and epithelial membrane antigen. Staining with cytokeratin was somewhat weaker. This culture technique provides us with a suitable model for studying the growth behavior of these cells.