Immunological properties of rat lens gamma-crystallins. III. Changes during development and ageing.

The rat lens contains three immunologically different gamma-crystallins, gamma 1-, gamma 2-, and gamma 3-crystallins. With the aid of specific antisera, it could be established that partial identity exists between gamma 1- and gamma 2-crystallins, and non-identity between gamma 1- and gamma 3-, and between gamma 2- and gamma 3-crystallins. The occurrence of these three crystallins has been investigated in rat lenses, aged 5-1,162 days, by isoelectric focusing, immunofocusing and immunodiffusion. The gamma 1- and gamma 2-crystallins are already present in 5-day-old lenses, but diminish during ageing and finally disappear. In contrast, gamma 3-crystallin develops first in 10-day-old lenses, it remains present during progressed ageing.