Lens fiber junction systems of reptiles and birds.

As is known, lens fibers have not only various forms of protoplasmic processes at each edge but also wall spines on the surface of the lens fiber, and they interdigitate tightly with the adjacent lens fibers in fixed manners of interdigitation (FUTAGAMI, 1962; TANAKA and IINO, 1967; MATSUURA and WATANABE, 1968). Moreover, it has been suggested that each species has some similar characteristics in the forms of the processes and the wall spines, and also in the manner of interdigitation (TANAKA, 1968). The junction systems of lens fibers of cyclostomes, elasmobranchs, and teleosts have already been investigated in detail (TANAKA, 1969), whereas those of reptiles and birds seem to have been neglected up to now. It seems that such reseach is very important, interesting, and necessary in order to known the phylogenetic transitional process, or evolution, concerning the junction systems of lens fibers. With this object, the author has observed the junction systems of lens fibers of reptiles and birds under an elecron microscope by the filmy replica system method.