細胞描述
The cells that make up the mammalian lens consist of two types: lens fiber cells, which form the bulk of the lens, and a monolayer of epithelial cells that cover the anterior surface of the fibers. The normal development of the lens of the eye involves the progressive differentiation and maturation of the lens epithelial cells. As these cells migrate from the equatorial region of the lens into the interior of the lens, they produce the transparent crystallins, elongate to form lens fiber cells, and lose their nuclei and other organelles [1]. The causes of lens epithelial cell differentiation are not well understood; however, some progress has been made in determining the underlying molecular and cellular processes of lens epithelial cell differentiation. This process can be promoted by growth factors present in the ocular fluids [2]. Some growth factors, such as epidermal growth factor, promote mitosis; others, such as basic fibroblast growth factor, insulin growth factor, and insulin, promote cell migration and differentiation [3].
