Study of crystallin expression in human lens epithelial cells during differentiation in culture and in non-lenticular tissues.
Crystallin expression in human lens epithelial cells in culture and a number of non-lenticular tissues was studied by the technique of immunoblotting using monoclonal antibodies. The expression of alpha A, beta 5 and beta 6 crystallins per unit number of cells increased with passage number while alpha B appeared to be constant Lentoid bodies derived from cultured human lens epithelial cells not only expressed gamma-crystallin and MP26 as previously demonstrated, but also produced alpha A, alpha B, beta 5 and beta 6 crystallins. In human non-lenticular tissues including ciliary body, vitreous body, neural retina, cultured retinal pigment epithelial cells and scleral fibroblasts, alpha B-crystallin was detected, but was undetectable in cornea and iris. Alpha A was present only in the lens. These studies demonstrate that HLE cells maintain the ability to synthesize crystallins through several passages. Following differentiation, they not only synthesize gamma-crystallin and MP26 but continue to express alpha- and beta-crystallins similar to differentiated lens fiber cells in vivo. Consistent with previous observations, the expression of alpha B-crystallin does not appear to be specific for the lens.
Eye Research Institute, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309-4401.
V N
VN
Reddy
H
H
Katsura
T
T
Arita
L R
LR
Lin
G
G
Eguchi
K
K
Agata
K
K
Sawada
D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003459:Crystallins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D005123:Eye / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000378:metabolism; D012590:Sclera / Q000378:metabolism
D003459:Crystallins