Summary
Whole pig lenses were fixed, critical-point dried and fractured, and the internal surfaces examined with a scanning electron microscope. At various locations from the equator to the center of the lens four types of fibers can be distinguished. The superficial fibers have small interdigitations. Cortical lens fibers, which are hexagonal in shape exhibit well developed “ball-and-socket” junctions. Other cortical fibers appear slightly undulated and show fine granulations. The core lens fibers are characterized by microplicae on the cell surfaces and by a more rounded or rectangular form. Results are discussed in relation to previous electron-microscopic studies of other species.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Brown N (1973) The change in shape and internal form of the lens of the eye on accommodation. Exp Eye Res 15:441–459
Dickson DH, Crock GW (1972) Interlocking patterns on primate lens fibers. Invest Ophthalmol Visual Sci 11:809–815
Farnsworth PN, Fu SCJ, Burke PA, Bahia I (1974) Ultrastructure of rat eye lens fibers. Invest Ophthalmol Visual Sci 13:274–279
Hansson H-A (1970) Scanning electron microscopy of the lens of the adult rat. Z Zellforsch 107:187–198
Harding CV, Susan SR (1976) The nuclear envelope in the crystalline lens fiber cell. Invest Ophthalmol Visual Sci 15:433–437
Harding CV, Susan S, Murphy H (1976) Scanning electron microscopy of the adult rabbit lens. Ophthal Res 8:443–455
Kuwabara T (1975) The maturation of the lens cell: a morphologic study. Exp Eye Res 20:427–443
Litwin JA (1980) Freeze-fracture demonstration of intercellular junctions in rabbit lens. Exp Eye Res 30:211–214
Okinami S (1978) Freeze-fracture replica of the primate lens fibers. Albrecht von Graefes Arch Klin Ophthalmol 209:51–58
Sakuragawa M, Kuwabara T, Kinoshita JH, Fukui HN (1975) Swelling of the lens fibers. Exp Eye Res 21:281–394
Tanaka K, Iino A (1967) Zur Frage der Verbindung der Linsenfasern im Rinderauge. Z Zellforsch 82:604–612
Wanko T, Gavin MA (1959) Electron microscope study of lens fibers. J Biophys Biochem Cytol 6:97–102
Willekens B, Vrensen G (1981) The three-dimensional organization of lens fibers in the rabbit. A scanning electron microscopic reinvestigation. Albrecht von Graefes Arch Klin Ophthalmol 216:275–289
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hoyer, H.E. Scanning electron-microscopic study of lens fibers of the pig. Cell Tissue Res. 224, 225–232 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00217281
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00217281