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.

DUI

D038201 MeSH Prohlížeč

CUI

M0005389

Předchozí užití

Crystallins (1965-2002)

Historická pozn.

2003; for ALPHA-CRYSTALLIN use CRYSTALLINS 1982-2002

Veřejná pozn.

2003; for ALPHA-CRYSTALLIN see CRYSTALLINS 1982-2002