Here you can see the lens development process at work in a cross section of tissue from an adult mouse. In mice, as in humans, a single layer of rod-like epithelial cells (far left, blue/green) gives rise to specialized lens cells (middle, blue/green) throughout life. The new cells resemble their progenitor cells, with the nuclei (blue) and cytoskeletal protein actin (green). But soon these cells will produce large amounts of water-soluble proteins, called crystalline, to improve their transparency, while gradually breaking down their nuclei to eliminate light-scattering mass.

---

Size: 6040px × 3020px
Location:
Photo credit: © NIH / IMAGE POINT FR / BSIP / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: acidproteinactinchemistrydissolvingcytologycellcytoskeletonnucleushistologytissueepitheliumepithelial, acidsproteinsprotideprotideschemstrychemicalchemicalsdissolvedissolutionsolubilitycell, anatomytissuesepithelial, animalmammaliamammalianmammalsrodentiarodentsmuridaemuridsmicehumansgrownupgrownupsmaturityadultsmatureweightsmassexamination, biologycellscytoskeletonsnucleihistologichistologicalmicroscopical, biologycellular, cellcrystallincross-section, cellscrystallinscross-sectionstransverse, cephalicheadsfacialfacesoculareyesbulbus, examination, headfaceeyeeyeballretinaanimalmammalrodentmuridmousehumanadultweightscientific, imagerybiochemistryamino, investigation, layerepithelialepitheliaepithelial, membraneepitheliumsepithelial, oculieyeballsretinaeretinasretinalanimalsterrestrial, planes, planescross, planetransverse, sectioncross, sectionstransverse, tec, techniquebiochemicalamino, techniqueexamination, techniquemedical, techniquesimagingmedical, techniquesmedical, testinvestigation, tissueepithelial, tissuesepithelial