In vivo and in vitro experimental analysis of lens epithelium differentiative capacity in Xenopus laevis

In the present study, the differentiative capacities of Xenopus laevis lens epithelium were tested by isolating it at different stages of development and implanting it autoplastically and homoplastically into the enucleated orbit. The autonomous differentiative capacity of this tissue was also tested in expiants cultured in vitro in Leibovitz L 15 with fetal bovine serum added, or serum‐free. The results obtained from in vivo experiments showed that whatever were the developmental stages, the eye cup was not necessary for differentiation of lens epithelium into lens fiber cells; this suggested that this tissue has an intrinsic capacity to differentiate into lens. Furthermore, lens epithelium showed an autonomous lens differentiation capacity also when isolated and cultured in vitro, with or without addition of fetal bovine serum.