AIM: To explore the primary culture conditions for four kinds of lens epithelial cells(LECs)of rat, rabbit, dog, and human, and measure their growth characteristics.

METHODS: The lens capsule or anterior capsular tissue of rat, rabbit, dog and patient were removed by different methods, and they were cut into tiny pieces for primary culture by modified tissue adherent method. The morphological features of four kinds of LECs were observed under an inverted microscope.

RESULTS: Four kinds of LECs of rat, rabbit, dog and human could be cultured primarily by tissue adherent method. With the evolution of tissue source, the adherent capacity of LECs gradually strengthened, cells form were changed from irregular polygon to oval, nucleus rounded and cytoplasm enriched gradually. Four kinds of LECs had fibrotic changes after several passages.

CONCLUSION: LECs of rat, rabbit, dog and human can be primarily cultured. This method lays the foundation for the mechanism research of caratact and related fields on the cellular and molecular levels.