Human lens cells in culture. I. Isolation of adult lens epithelial cells from lens capsule preparations and reactivation of nucleus containing fiber cells
M. Iwig et al., Human lens cells in culture. I. Isolation of adult lens epithelial cells from lens capsule preparations and reactivation of nucleus containing fiber cells, KLIN MONATS, 218(2), 2001, pp. 102-110
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.