Biomaterial Database

Crystallin profiles of calf and bovine lens microsections, stained for free sulfhydryl groups and proteins. 1990

J Bours, and M H Ahrend, and O Hockwin

Department of Experimental Ophthalmology, University of Bonn, F.R.G.

Calf and bovine lenses of 0.98 and 8.40 years old were separated mechanically into lens equator and inner cylinder. The inner cylinder was cut into 10 to 11 sections by a microsectioning device. These sections were investigated on the protein profiles of water-soluble crystallins, stained for proteins by Coomassie Blue (CB). These crystallins were also specifically stained purple for free sulfhydryl groups (SH). It appeared that all crystallins that were stained blue for proteins were also stained purple for sulfhydryl groups. This means that all crystallins contain free sulfhydryl groups. Going from anterior and posterior cortex to the nucleus of the lens, there was an appreciable increase of the percent of gamma-crystallins, whereas especially in the older lenses a decrease of gamma-crystallins could be observed in the lens equator and the anterior and posterior cortices. A stainability factor F = %SH/%CB was calculated for all crystallins. HM-, alpha- and beta s-crystallins exhibit high values of factor F. For the bovine lens, factor F of HM-crystallin displayed a maximum in the nucleus, whereas this factor decreased for gamma-crystallins towards the nucleus. This microsectioning technique allows for determining age-related differences between the sections obtained. This may lead to a comprehensive understanding of age-related changes within one lens, including cataractous changes.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007525	Isoelectric Focusing	Electrophoresis in which a pH gradient is established in a gel medium and proteins migrate until they reach the site (or focus) at which the pH is equal to their isoelectric point.	Electrofocusing,Focusing, Isoelectric
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
D002417	Cattle	Domesticated bovine animals of the genus Bos, usually kept on a farm or ranch and used for the production of meat or dairy products or for heavy labor.	Beef Cow,Bos grunniens,Bos indicus,Bos indicus Cattle,Bos taurus,Cow,Cow, Domestic,Dairy Cow,Holstein Cow,Indicine Cattle,Taurine Cattle,Taurus Cattle,Yak,Zebu,Beef Cows,Bos indicus Cattles,Cattle, Bos indicus,Cattle, Indicine,Cattle, Taurine,Cattle, Taurus,Cattles, Bos indicus,Cattles, Indicine,Cattles, Taurine,Cattles, Taurus,Cow, Beef,Cow, Dairy,Cow, Holstein,Cows,Dairy Cows,Domestic Cow,Domestic Cows,Indicine Cattles,Taurine Cattles,Taurus Cattles,Yaks,Zebus
D003459	Crystallins	A heterogeneous family of water-soluble structural proteins found in cells of the vertebrate lens. The presence of these proteins accounts for the transparency of the lens. The family is composed of four major groups, alpha, beta, gamma, and delta, and several minor groups, which are classed on the basis of size, charge, immunological properties, and vertebrate source. Alpha, beta, and delta crystallins occur in avian and reptilian lenses, while alpha, beta, and gamma crystallins occur in all other lenses.	Lens Proteins,Crystallin,Eye Lens Protein,Lens Protein, Eye,Protein, Eye Lens,Proteins, Lens
D003720	Densitometry	The measurement of the density of a material by measuring the amount of light or radiation passing through (or absorbed by) the material.	Densitometries
D000375	Aging	The gradual irreversible changes in structure and function of an organism that occur as a result of the passage of time.	Senescence,Aging, Biological,Biological Aging
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
D012394	Rosaniline Dyes	Compounds that contain the triphenylmethane aniline structure found in rosaniline. Many of them have a characteristic magenta color and are used as COLORING AGENTS.	Fuchsins,Magentas,Fuchsin,Triphenylmethane Aniline Compounds,Aniline Compounds, Triphenylmethane,Compounds, Triphenylmethane Aniline,Dyes, Rosaniline
D013438	Sulfhydryl Compounds	Compounds containing the -SH radical.	Mercaptan,Mercapto Compounds,Sulfhydryl Compound,Thiol,Thiols,Mercaptans,Compound, Sulfhydryl,Compounds, Mercapto,Compounds, Sulfhydryl