The eye lens cytoskeleton

During lens cell differentiation there are a number of very characteristic morphological changes that occur. These include a 50- to 100-fold increase in cell length as the equatorial lens epithelial cells differentiate into f ibre cells and the loss of the cellular organelles such as mitochondria, nu clei, Golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum. Coincident with these chan ges are dramatic alterations in the organisation of the lens fibre cell cyt oskeleton and in particular the lens-specific intermediate filament network comprising CP49 and filensin. Cell shape and cell polarisation as well as tissue integrity are all processes that depend upon the cytoskeleton and ar e therefore important to the lens. The unique aspects of the lenticular cyt oskeleton are the subject of this review.