Abstract: Objective To detect the protein expression of the lens induction genes Pax6 and Six3 in lens regeneration after lentectomy, discussing the relation of these protein to crystallin expression and cell fibrosis. Design Experimental study. Participants Xenopus laevis tadpole at stage 48~53. Methods By immunofluorescence, Western blot and qRT-PCR were carried out to compare the expression of Pax6 and Six3 in lens regenerated eye and normal eye. Main Outcome Measures The expression of Pax6 and Six3 protein. Results Lens in the damaged eye gradually regenerates after lentectomy. Compared with the nomal eyes, the expression of Pax6 and Six3 is upregulated in 0~3 days after lentectomy. It was observed that Pax6 expression increased first and then gradually decreased while Six3 expression was found to decrease during 3~14 days after the lentectomy. Pax6 expression downregulated sequentially, but Six3 expression was found upregulated significantly during 14~21 days after lentectomy. Pax6 and Six3 expression downregulated during the interval of 21~30 days after the lentectomy. After this period, the lens regeneration process was found fundamentally completed. Conclusion In lens regeneration mechanism, the key event is the part of the cornea cell dedifferentiation and the expression of crystalline. Inner cell of outer cornea proliferation differentiation capsule by Pax6 and Six3 in initiation of regeneration, crystalline expression and cell fibrosis are closely associated with these genes in later period. (Ophthalmol CHN, 2016, 25: 232-237)

Key words: lentectomy, lens regeneration, Pax6, Six3