FIGURE 2.

Impairment of cell adhesive function mediated by AQP0 or Cx50 mutation disrupts the organization of lens fibers. In lens fibers, AQP0 and Cx50, primarily located at the short side and broad side of mature lens fibers, respectively, directly interact with each other, and function like “glue” to mediate the cell–cell adhesion, which maintains lens fiber integrity and organization (left upper and lower panels). The hexagon shape indicates cross-section of lens fiber cells. The lenses showing mutations of Cx50 or AQP0 lose cell–cell adhesion in fiber cells, resulting in the impairment of epithelial cell proliferation, increased intercellular spaces and disorganization of lens fibers, which consequently leads to loss of lens elasticity and transparency (right upper and lower panels). The complete loss of Cx50 or AQP0 (Cx50 KO or AQP0 KO) lead to a similar levels of fiber cell disruption.