Conjunctival tissue was removed from eyes with and without pseudo-exfoliation material during cataract surgery. Cells derived from these samples were maintained in vitro. Confluent cultures were examined by transmission electron microscopy, and non-confluent as well as confluent cultures were examined for their ability to incorporate 3H-leucine and 3H-proline into TCA-precipitated material. Cells derived from both types of samples showed deposition of extracellular matrix, and a similar incorporation of the two amino acids. It is concluded that in vitro studies allow examination of basic metabolic patterns under varying conditions, and also a search for possible differences in such functions between tissues with and without production of pseudo-exfoliation material.