Explant culture of human lens epithelial cells from senile cataract patients.

Human lens epithelial cells (HLECs) with lens capsules were cultured to investigate the morphology and outgrowth potential of the cultured cells. Anterior lens capsules obtained during cataract surgery were placed cell side down in a medium in culture wells. Cultivation was successful with 24 of 36 specimens from senile cataract patients. The HLECs grew beyond the capsular edge from the third to fifth day after the beginning of cultivation, and extended actively to the periphery of the culture well. The cells had extended 2.5 mm beyond the capsular edge by the second week and 3.8 mm by the fourth week, but outgrowth then stopped. The cells near the capsular edge displayed elongated shapes during the earlier period of cultivation, but subsequently formed small polygons. The cells in the middle of the zone of outgrowth appeared as polygons, and were surrounded by large, irregularly-shaped cells. This study showed that HLECs from senile cataract patients have a limited but definitive outgrowth potential under explant culture conditions.