Scanning Electron Microscopy of the normal lens of the rat

The lenses of five-week-old rats were studied after Coating-gold with Scanning Electron Microscopy（SEM）.A distinct fiber contour was observed for fibers in the anterior,posterior,lateral and nuclear sections of the lens.Most of lens fibers in cross fractures were hexagonal.As the layer deepens,the lens fiber showed more decrease and increase of their width and thickness,respectively.The numerous complicaed processes of the fibers wer classified into three forms:Tongur-andgroove junctions;Ball-and-Socked junction and ridge processes.Each lens fibers was tightened by these processes and adjacent fibers have a complementary surface.