Human lens cells in culture. I. Isolation of adult lens epithelial cells from lens capsule preparations and reactivation of nucleus containing fiber cells

Background: Bovine lens epithelial cells in culture revealed a high sensiti vity against micromolar concentrations of linoleic acid. To prove the assum ption that unsatturated free fatty acids are risk factors for cataractogene sis, human lens cell lines are needed. Furthermore, the reactivation of nuc leus-containing fiber cells to mitotic growth may hint at their role in aft er cataract genesis. Material and methods: Epithelium-capsule-preparations obtained by capsulorh exis were cultured in serum containing medium. Subculturing of these adult human lens epithelial cells was done by trypsinization. Fiber cell bundles from the equator region of a fetal human lens were transfered into culture medium. Aggregates of nucleus containing fiber cells were isolated from flo ating fiber cell bundles by trypsinization. Subculturing and cryoconservati on of suitable cell lines. Results: Primary culture of epithelium-capsule-preparations results in flat tening, migration and proliferation of adult human lens epithelial cells. N ucleus containing fiber cells were reactivated to mitotic growth after adhe sion to a suitable substratum. Established cell lines were received from ad ult human lens epithelial cells and fetal human fiber cells after repeated subculturing. Conclusions: Lens-capsule-preparations available from cataract surgery are well suited for the isolation of human lens cell lines, which were needed f or testing cytotoxicity of drugs and for tracing of cataractogenic risk fac tors. The finding that nucleus containing fiber cells from the equator of h uman lenses can be reactivated to proliferating cells let us suppose, that these cells, which can not be removed easely from the posterior lens capsul e, contribute to the after cataract formation.