Cellular membranes on glass lens implants--formed in tissue culture by mouse macrophages

Intraocular lens implants made of glass were exposed to a suspension of mouse macrophages in tissue culture for 48 and 96 hours. After 48 hours the macrophages had formed a dense cellular membrane on the glass surface and some of them had changed into fibroblast-like cells, epithelioid cells, and early stages of giant cells. After 96 hours a firm and continuous proteinaceous capsule had formed on the glass in the interspaces between the cells. The membranes on glass implants were more cellular and more firmly adherent than those seen on plastic implants under the same conditions.