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 Concept Videos

X-ray Crystallography02:18

X-ray Crystallography

The size of the unit cell and the arrangement of atoms in a crystal may be determined from measurements of the diffraction of X-rays by the crystal, termed X-ray crystallography.
Diffraction
Diffraction is the change in the direction of travel experienced by an electromagnetic wave when it encounters a physical barrier whose dimensions are comparable to those of the wavelength of the light. X-rays are electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths about as long as the distance between neighboring...
Phase Transitions02:31

Phase Transitions

Whether solid, liquid, or gas, a substance's state depends on the order and arrangement of its particles (atoms, molecules, or ions). Particles in the solid pack closely together, generally in a pattern. The particles vibrate about their fixed positions but do not move or squeeze past their neighbors. In liquids, although the particles are closely spaced, they are randomly arranged. The position of the particles are not fixed—that is, they are free to move past their neighbors to occupy...
Phase Transitions01:21

Phase Transitions

A phase transition is the process in which a substance changes from one state of matter to another, like from a solid to a liquid, liquid to gas, or vice versa, at a specific temperature and under given pressure conditions. This change is spontaneous and is affected by alterations in temperature and pressure. These parameters impact the strength of the forces between molecules (intermolecular forces) in the substance.During a phase transition, both the initial and final phases of the substance...
X-ray Diffraction of Biological Samples01:10

X-ray Diffraction of Biological Samples

X-ray diffraction or XRD is an analytical tool that utilizes X-rays to study ordered structures such as crystalline organic and inorganic samples, polycrystalline materials, proteins, carbohydrates, and drugs.
According to Bragg's law, when X-rays strike the sample positioned on a stage, the rays are  scattered by the electron clouds around the sample atoms. The  X-ray diffraction or scattering is caused by constructive interference of the X-ray waves that reflect off the internal crystal...
Solid–Solid Solutions01:24

Solid–Solid Solutions

The temperature-composition phase diagram of two solids, A and B, which are immiscible in the solid phase but form miscible liquids, shows that when the temperature is low, these two exist as separate, pure solids (A and B). As the temperature increases, they transition into a single-phase liquid solution where A and B coexist. Moving from point a1 to a2 in the phase diagram, the composition changes such that solid B begins to separate from the solution, enriching the remaining liquid with A.
Determination of Crystal Structures01:29

Determination of Crystal Structures

In the late 1800s, the revelation that light extended beyond visible wavelengths led to the discovery of X-rays by Wilhelm Roentgen. Recognized as high-energy electromagnetic radiation with short wavelengths, X-rays prompted exploration into their interaction with crystals. Max von Laue proposed in 1912 that the periodic arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules in crystals would cause them to diffract X-rays, a hypothesis confirmed through experiments with copper sulfate and zinc sulfide...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Dehydration and Rehydration Behavior of Ultra-High-Fluence Extracorporeal Cross-Linked Corneal Allogenic Intrastromal Ring Segments (ECO-CAIRS).

Journal of cataract and refractive surgery·2026
Same author

Cutting-edge cross-linking biomaterials advancing ophthalmic therapeutics.

Progress in retinal and eye research·2026
Same author

Biomechanical Stiffening Effect in Ultra-High-Fluence Extracorporeal Cross-Linked Corneal Allogenic Intrastromal Ring Segments.

Journal of cataract and refractive surgery·2026
Same author

The Structural Order of Crystallin Proteins During Early Human Lens Development.

Investigative ophthalmology & visual science·2026
Same author

Exploring thoracic aorta ECM alterations in Marfan syndrome: insights into aorta wall structure.

Scientific reports·2025
Same author

Ultrastructural Aspects of Corneal Functional Recovery in Rats Following Intrastromal Keratocyte Injection.

Investigative ophthalmology & visual science·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2026

A Package of Established Analytical Tools to Investigate the Solid-State Alteration of Lipid-Based Excipients
11:27

A Package of Established Analytical Tools to Investigate the Solid-State Alteration of Lipid-Based Excipients

Published on: August 9, 2022

Changes in the X-ray diffraction pattern from lens during a solid-to-liquid phase transition.

Justyn W Regini1, Keith M Meek

  • 1The Structural Biophysics Group, School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF24 4LU, UK. reginijw@cf.ac.uk

Current Eye Research
|November 11, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Freezing bovine lenses with liquid nitrogen or -20°C freezers temporarily reduces protein order. Liquid nitrogen is superior for cryo-preservation, maintaining lens crystallin order better than -20°C freezing.

More Related Videos

Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets
06:26

Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets

Published on: May 15, 2017

High-Contrast and Fast Photorheological Switching of a Twist-Bend Nematic Liquid Crystal
06:24

High-Contrast and Fast Photorheological Switching of a Twist-Bend Nematic Liquid Crystal

Published on: October 31, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 18, 2026

A Package of Established Analytical Tools to Investigate the Solid-State Alteration of Lipid-Based Excipients
11:27

A Package of Established Analytical Tools to Investigate the Solid-State Alteration of Lipid-Based Excipients

Published on: August 9, 2022

Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets
06:26

Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets

Published on: May 15, 2017

High-Contrast and Fast Photorheological Switching of a Twist-Bend Nematic Liquid Crystal
06:24

High-Contrast and Fast Photorheological Switching of a Twist-Bend Nematic Liquid Crystal

Published on: October 31, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Structural Biology
  • Cryobiology

Background:

  • The structural integrity of the eye lens is crucial for vision.
  • Understanding molecular changes during cryopreservation is vital for tissue preservation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the structural integrity of bovine lenses before and after freezing.
  • To investigate the effects of liquid nitrogen and -20°C freezing on lens structure.
  • To identify any permanent structural changes induced by freezing and thawing.

Main Methods:

  • Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) was employed.
  • Whole bovine eye lenses were subjected to two freezing methods: liquid nitrogen and -20°C.
  • X-ray patterns were analyzed during the thawing process.

Main Results:

  • Liquid nitrogen freezing resulted in faster thawing compared to -20°C.
  • Both freezing methods transiently decreased protein order during thawing, as indicated by X-ray patterns.
  • Post-thaw X-ray reflections returned to pre-freezing spacing and intensity.

Conclusions:

  • The observed changes are explained by a model involving ice crystal melting.
  • Liquid nitrogen freezing appears to be a more effective method for cryo-preserving lens crystallin order.
  • This suggests liquid nitrogen is preferable for maintaining lens structural integrity during cryopreservation.