Biomaterial Database

Ontogeny and localization of the alpha, beta, and gamma crystallins in newt eye lens development. 1981

D S McDevitt, and S K Brahma

Department of Animal Biology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.

The alpha-, beta-, and gamma-crystallins, proteins characteristic for the vertebrate eye lens, have been localized in the developing lens of Notophthalmus viridescens, the eastern spotted newt. Using the immunofluorescence technique, antibodies to the alpha-, beta-, and gamma-crystallin classes were applied to tissue sections through the eye region of developing N. viridescens embryos, Harrison (external) Stages 30 to 46+. beta-Crystallins were the first of the crystallins to appear in a few cells of the lens vesicle even before the lengthening of the prospective primary fiber cells. gamma-Crystallins were first detectable at a slightly more advanced stage in the prospective primary fibers, and alpha-crystallins in a few cells of the beginning primary fiber area. The external layer/epithelium was negative for beta-crystallins until late in lens morphogenesis, and alpha- and gamma-crystallins could not be detected in these cells at any time. This, the first use in amphibia of homologous antibodies specific for the crystallin classes, makes clear that phylogenetic differences exist as to the primacy and relevance of specific crystallins to events during morphogenesis of the eye lens.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007908	Lens, Crystalline	A transparent, biconvex structure of the EYE, enclosed in a capsule and situated behind the IRIS and in front of the vitreous humor (VITREOUS BODY). It is slightly overlapped at its margin by the ciliary processes. Adaptation by the CILIARY BODY is crucial for OCULAR ACCOMMODATION.	Eye Lens,Lens, Eye,Crystalline Lens
D009673	Notophthalmus viridescens	A species of newt in the Salamandridae family in which the larvae transform into terrestrial eft stage and later into an aquatic adult. They occur from Canada to southern United States. Viridescens refers to the greenish color often found in this species.	Diemictylus viridescens,Newt, Red-Spotted,Triturus viridescens,Newt, Red Spotted,Newts, Red-Spotted,Red-Spotted Newt,Red-Spotted Newts
D005260	Female		Females
D005455	Fluorescent Antibody Technique	Test for tissue antigen using either a direct method, by conjugation of antibody with fluorescent dye (FLUORESCENT ANTIBODY TECHNIQUE, DIRECT) or an indirect method, by formation of antigen-antibody complex which is then labeled with fluorescein-conjugated anti-immunoglobulin antibody (FLUORESCENT ANTIBODY TECHNIQUE, INDIRECT). The tissue is then examined by fluorescence microscopy.	Antinuclear Antibody Test, Fluorescent,Coon's Technique,Fluorescent Antinuclear Antibody Test,Fluorescent Protein Tracing,Immunofluorescence Technique,Coon's Technic,Fluorescent Antibody Technic,Immunofluorescence,Immunofluorescence Technic,Antibody Technic, Fluorescent,Antibody Technics, Fluorescent,Antibody Technique, Fluorescent,Antibody Techniques, Fluorescent,Coon Technic,Coon Technique,Coons Technic,Coons Technique,Fluorescent Antibody Technics,Fluorescent Antibody Techniques,Fluorescent Protein Tracings,Immunofluorescence Technics,Immunofluorescence Techniques,Protein Tracing, Fluorescent,Protein Tracings, Fluorescent,Technic, Coon's,Technic, Fluorescent Antibody,Technic, Immunofluorescence,Technics, Fluorescent Antibody,Technics, Immunofluorescence,Technique, Coon's,Technique, Fluorescent Antibody,Technique, Immunofluorescence,Techniques, Fluorescent Antibody,Techniques, Immunofluorescence,Tracing, Fluorescent Protein,Tracings, Fluorescent Protein
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D038201	alpha-Crystallins	A subclass of crystallins that provides the majority of refractive power and translucency to the lens (LENS, CRYSTALLINE) in VERTEBRATES. Alpha-crystallins also act as molecular chaperones that bind to denatured proteins, keep them in solution and thereby maintain the translucency of the lens. The proteins exist as large oligomers that are formed from ALPHA-CRYSTALLIN A CHAIN and ALPHA-CRYSTALLIN B CHAIN subunits.	Crystallins, alpha,alpha-Crystallin,alpha Crystallin,alpha Crystallins
D038204	beta-Crystallins	A class of crystallins that provides refractive power and translucency to the lens (LENS, CRYSTALLINE) in VERTEBRATES. Beta-crystallins are similar in structure to GAMMA-CRYSTALLINS in that they both contain Greek key motifs. Beta-crystallins exist as oligomers formed from acidic (BETA-CRYSTALLIN A CHAIN) and basic (BETA-CRYSTALLIN B CHAIN) subunits.	Crystallins, beta,beta-Crystallin,beta Crystallin,beta Crystallins
D038222	gamma-Crystallins	A subclass of crystallins that found in the lens (LENS, CRYSTALLINE) of VERTEBRATES. Gamma-crystallins are similar in structure to BETA-CRYSTALLINS in that they both form into a Greek key-like structure. They are composed of monomeric subunits.	Crystallins, gamma,gamma-Crystallin,gamma Crystallin,gamma Crystallins