Messenger RNA Utilization during Development of Chick Embryo Lens

Abstract

A marked increase in synthesis or availability of messenger RNA which can accommodate eight to ten ribosomes was observed in the chick embryo lens between 11 and 12 days of development. The increase is seen in a shift from polyribosomes consisting of predominantly two to five single ribosomes to polyribosomes of predominantly eight to ten ribosomes in lens cells. Short-lived (half-life, 3 hours) and long-lived (half-life, 30 hours) messenger RNA's coexist in whole lenses on the 14th day of development.