Artificial anterior chamber for the growing of membranes on lens implants.

Intraocular lens implants made of glass and plastic were placed into the lumen of short pieces of clear plastic tubing. These were incompletely closed at both ends with nylon sutures, filled with Healon, and used experimentally as artificial anterior chambers for implantation into the peritoneal space of mice. After 7 days macrophages had been attracted into the chambers, become sessile on the implants, and formed a continuous membrane on their surface. The concept of artificial anterior chambers in experimental and future clinical applications is discussed.