Synthesis of gamma crystallin by a cloned cell line from Nakano mouse lens.

A cloned cell line was derived from a culture of Nakano mouse lens epithelial cells. The cloned cells grew vigorously and produced large numbers of lentoid bodies. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and non-SDS slab-gel electrophoresis of the soluble proteins from the cultured cell revealed protein bands identical in pattern to those of purified gamma crystallin. Antibody to mouse gamma crystallin reacted to the soluble protein fraction of the cultured cells, indicating the synthesis in culture of gamma crystallin by this cloned cell line.