8-Crystallin synthesis and vacuole formation during induced opacification of cultured embryonic chick lenses

Abstract

Previous experiments have shown that embryonic chick lenses cultured either without their vitreous bodies or with their vitreous bodies in the presence ofouabain alter their intracellular concentrations of sodium and potassium, change their ratio of synthesis of 8-crystallin teration in the ratio of synthesis of 8-crystallin polypeptides, which appears to be controlled by a change in the intracellular concentration of sodium and potassium. 2 Experiments with ouabain indicated, that the opacity per se was not due to the alteration in 8-crystallin synthesis, since the fiber cells of ouabain-treated lenses remained clear while altering their pattern of 8-crystallin synthesis. 2 As an extension of these studies, we have investigated whether the alteration of 8-crystallin synthesis is confined to the opaque regions of the chick lens cultured without the vitreous body, and examined the morphological basis for the opacification