What is the developmental relationship between lens epithelial cells and lens fibers?

What is the developmental relationship between lens epithelial cells and lens fibers?

• A. Fibers differentiate into epithelial cells
• B. They develop independently
• C. Lens fibers secrete epithelial cells
• D. Epithelial cells differentiate into lens fibers

Answer: (D)

The lens grows by a transformation of surface epithelial cells into fiber cells. The anterior lens epithelium contains cells that proliferate, and at the equator these cells exit the cell cycle and begin differentiating into elongated lens fibers. As they mature, these cells shed their nuclei and organelles and accumulate crystallin proteins, becoming the transparent fiber layers that fill the lens. This ongoing process means new lens fibers are continually produced from the epithelial layer, with the primary fibers forming early from the posterior vesicle and later fibers arising from the equatorial epithelium. So, epithelial cells differentiate into lens fibers, rather than fibers becoming epithelial cells or growing independently.

The lens grows by a transformation of surface epithelial cells into fiber cells. The anterior lens epithelium contains cells that proliferate, and at the equator these cells exit the cell cycle and begin differentiating into elongated lens fibers. As they mature, these cells shed their nuclei and organelles and accumulate crystallin proteins, becoming the transparent fiber layers that fill the lens. This ongoing process means new lens fibers are continually produced from the epithelial layer, with the primary fibers forming early from the posterior vesicle and later fibers arising from the equatorial epithelium. So, epithelial cells differentiate into lens fibers, rather than fibers becoming epithelial cells or growing independently.