# Lens epithelial cell heterogeneity during development

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY · 2021 · $348,654

## Abstract

The proliferation, differentiation and homeostasis of lens anterior monolayer epithelium determine 
the lens growth, size, shape and transparency, which are absolutely required for focusing and 
transmitting a light image onto the retina. The goal of this proposal is to test a novel hypothesis 
that the intrinsic heterogeneity of lens epithelial cells regulates lens growth and homeostasis,  
and distinctive cell clusters of lens monolayer epithelium are precisely organized for mediating 
external signals of surrounding ocular tissues and environmental stimuli to regulate the lens 
growth, size, shape and transparency, and that disruptions of specific cell cluster(s) impair the 
regulation of lens growth and homeostasis to lead to various lens and/or eye pathological outcomes 
including cataracts, microphthalmia, and macrophthalmia.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10089453
- **Project number:** 5R01EY031253-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY
- **Principal Investigator:** Xiaohua Gong
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $348,654
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-02-01 → 2024-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10089453

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10089453, Lens epithelial cell heterogeneity during development (5R01EY031253-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10089453. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*