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.

Also Known As:

alpha-Crystallin; alpha Crystallin; alpha Crystallins; Crystallins, alpha

Amino Acids, Peptides, and Proteins: 1
- Proteins: 496323
  - Molecular Chaperones: 1304
    - alpha-Crystallins: 201
  - Eye Proteins: 2
    - Crystallins: 1666
      - alpha-Crystallins: 201

L G Hayes Selected Research

L G Hayes Research Topics

Disease

Drug/Important Bio-Agent (IBA)