Lens Fiber Cells

Gatekeepers of the eye that focus on vision

Credit: Art by Nelly Aghekyan. Set in motion by Dr. Emanuele Petretto. Words by Dr. Masia Maksymowicz. Project Coordinator: Dr. Masia Maksymowicz, Series Director: Dr. Radhika Patnala #Extraordinarycelltypes #sciart #lifescience

Gateway to the eye

The way we see the world can vary depending on the place we are at and the culture we were brought up in. But one thing most of us have in common is that we see. Vision is possible thanks to two rather small eyeballs. Yet, the structure of our eyes is remarkable. Each eyeball is formed by three layers: the outer, formed by the sclera and cornea; the middle, containing the iris and pupil; and the inner layer, composed of the retina (1). When light comes into the eye, it travels through the cornea, via the pupil, where the iris limits its amounts. Then it passes through the lens, which, together with the cornea, functions to focus the light onto the retina. Inside the retina, a group of photoreceptor cells turn the light into an electrical signal that is then passed via the optic nerve to the brain (2).

Focus on the lens

Since ocular lenses focus light, they must stay transparent all the time. The structure of a single lens is very complex, yet it is composed only of two cell types: the progenitor…