Structured Summary
Abstract
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.
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Synonyms
4 entry terms
- Crystallins, alpha
- alpha-Crystallin
- alpha Crystallin
- alpha Crystallins
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Aspects Covered
30 allowable subheadings
Indexed with the subheadings administration & dosage, adverse effects, agonists, analysis, antagonists & inhibitors, biosynthesis, blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemical synthesis, chemistry, classification, deficiency, drug effects, economics, genetics, history, immunology, isolation & purification, metabolism, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, physiology, poisoning, radiation effects, standards, supply & distribution, therapeutic use, toxicity, ultrastructure, urine.
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History Note
2003; for ALPHA-CRYSTALLIN use CRYSTALLINS 1982-2002
MeSH Record
Previous Indexing
- Crystallins (1965-2002)
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AMA Style
References
- National Library of Medicine. alpha-Crystallins. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D038201. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D038201
- alpha-Crystallins. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q24774237