Vertebrate Crystallins--from Proteins to Genes

A review of literature on tissue-specific proteins of the vertebrate eye lens and genes coding for these proteins is presented. Particular attention is paid to the most heterogeneous family of crystallins: - and -crystallins, their nomenclature, and the structure of their genes. It is pointed out that mutations in gene coding for ubiquitous crystallins may be related to some forms of cataracts.