“…In this regard, we have previously shown that members of the P2X family of ATP-gated NSC channels are expressed in the lens (20). Interestingly, in immunocytochemical mapping experiments the majority of these P2X channels (P2X 1,3,4,6,7 ) were shown to be localized to the cytoplasm of fiber cells, but upon hypertonic challenge a subset of the P2X channels (P2X 1,4 ) were inserted into the plasma membrane of fiber cells located in a distinct zone of the lens (37,38). This zone was some 15 cells layers in from the lens periphery, and we have previously shown that fiber cells isolated from this zone are longer than 150 m (42), cells in the current study ranged from 150 -350 m in length.…”