Experimental analysis of the lens-forming competence of the cornea, iris, and retina inXenopus laevis tadpoles

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Abstract
The present research was carried out using Xenopus laevis tadpoles at stage 50–51 to ascertain whether eye territories other than the outer cornea and the pericorneal epidermis have lens‐forming competence, particularly the iris and/or retina. Five experiments were performed: simple lentectomy; removal of lens, outer cornea, and pericorneal integument; removal of lens, outer cornea, and pericorneal integument, and simultaneous incision of retina; removal of lens, outer cornea and pericorneal integument, and simultaneous incision of dorsal iris; removal of lens and simultaneous lesion of iris and retina. Results show that when lentectomy is performed without damaging any territories other than the outer and inner cornea, lens regeneration is always from the outer cornea, and the iris and retina do not exhibit any lens‐forming competence. The iris and retina show no clear‐cut lens‐forming competence even after they have been stimulated by comparatively extensive lesions.