
2. Histology of SPARC-null lens at E14 and E18. Sections of wt and SPARC-null
lenses were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and were examined by light
microscopy. The sizes of the SPARC+/+ and SPARC-null
(-/-) lenses at E14 and E18 are highly similar. The primary lens
fibers have elongated to contact the anterior epithelium, and the lens vesicle
lumen has disappeared at E14. The -/- lens fiber elongation is
complete, and there are no vacuoles in the -/- lenses. Bar (A,B),
270 µm; bar (C,D), 400 µm.