Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Crystallins in the eye: Function and pathology.

Usha P Andley1

  • 1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA. andley@vision.wustl.edu

Progress in Retinal and Eye Research
|December 15, 2006
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Oxysterol Compounds in Mouse Mutant αA- and αB-Crystallin Lenses Can Improve the Optical Properties of the Lens.

Investigative ophthalmology & visual science·2022
Same author

Analysis of amyloid-like secondary structure in the Cryab-R120G knock-in mouse model of hereditary cataracts by two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy.

PloS one·2021
Same author

Alpha-crystallin mutations alter lens metabolites in mouse models of human cataracts.

PloS one·2020
Same author

Changes in relative histone abundance and heterochromatin in αA-crystallin and αB-crystallin knock-in mutant mouse lenses.

BMC research notes·2020
Same author

Creatine kinase/α-crystallin interaction functions in cataract development.

Biochemistry and biophysics reports·2020
Same author

Mechanism of Action of VP1-001 in cryAB(R120G)-Associated and Age-Related Cataracts.

Investigative ophthalmology & visual science·2019

Crystallins, stress-related proteins, have vital roles beyond the eye lens. Studies using alphaA- and alphaB-crystallin knockout mice reveal their importance in lens epithelial cells, suggesting broader cellular functions.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Crystallins are lens structural proteins evolutionarily linked to stress proteins.
  • Alpha-crystallins function as molecular chaperones, preventing protein aggregation and cellular damage.
  • Recent research indicates crystallins are present and significant in various tissues beyond the vertebrate eye lens, including the retina.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight recent findings on crystallin functions outside the lens.
  • To investigate the cellular roles of alphaA- and alphaB-crystallins in lens epithelial cells.
  • To emphasize the importance of understanding crystallin functions in both normal and pathological conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of lens epithelial cells from alphaA- and alphaB-crystallin knockout mice.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Review of recent advances in crystallin structure-function relationships.
  • Integration of data from microarray and proteome analyses.

    • Main Results:

    • Crystallins are prominently expressed in normal retinas and during retinal pathologies.
    • Alpha-crystallins exhibit chaperone activity, protect the cytoskeleton, inhibit apoptosis, and enhance stress resistance.
    • Studies using knockout mice suggest crystallins have crucial functions in lens epithelial cells, not solely lens fiber cells.

    Conclusions:

    • Crystallins play significant roles in cellular functions within the lens epithelium.
    • Understanding crystallin functions outside the lens is crucial for comprehending their broader biological significance.
    • These findings contribute to the general understanding of crystallin cellular functions in various tissues.