Alteration of crystallin polypeptides in rat lenses during the development of galactose-induced cataract

Some striking differences in relative polypeptide abundance of crystallins were observed in normal and galactose-induced cataractous lenses of rat by means of SDS-PAGE. In the cataractous lenses a prominent band appeared at about 25 kDa and the aA chain increased markedly, whereas the relative amount of the 31 kDa band decreased substantially. These alterations are similar to the changes observed during the incubation of young mouse lenses in glucose-free medium.