Purpose: To investigate the role of vimentin gene in cataractogenesis. Methods: The 12. 7kb chicken vimentin genes were microinjected into the male pronuclei of 918 fertilized mice eggs. 841 injected embryos were transferred into oviducts of pseudopregnant recipient females, of which 12 pregnant mice gave birth to 49 offsping mice. The integration and expression of exogenous gene in the offsping were analysed by Southern and Northern blot hybridizations. In the human senile cataract, the lens vimentin gene was analyzed with the chicken vimentin gene probe.Results: It showed that four of F1 offspring were transgenic mice in which the chicken vimentin gene was integrated in their genomes. The transgenic band was 12kb, similar to the 12. 7kb chicken vimentin fragment injected. One 2kb vimentin mRNA was visualized on E2 mouse lens blot, which revealed that the chicken vimentin gene was efficiently expressed in this transgenic mouse. In the human senile cataract lens, 12kb BamHI-restricted vimentin fragments Purpose: To investigate the role of vimentin gene in cataractogenesis. Methods: The 12. 7kb chicken vimentin genes were microinjected into the male pronuclei of 918 fertilized mice eggs. 841 injected embryos were transferred into oviducts of pseudopregnant recipient females, of which 12 pregnant mice The integration and expression of exogenous gene in the offsping were analysed by Southern and Northern blot hybridizations. In the human senile cataract, the lens vimentin gene was analyzed with the chicken vimentin gene probe. Results: It showed that four of F1 offspring were transgenic mice in which the chicken vimentin gene was integrated in their genomes. The transgenic band was 12kb, similar to the 12.7 kb chicken vimentin fragment injected. One 2kb vimentin mRNA was visualized on E2 mouse lens blot, which revealed that the chicken vimentin gene was highly expressed in this transgenic mouse. In the human senile cataract lens, 12kb BamHI-restricted vimentin fragments