The structural order of crystallin proteins during early human lens development

Bains, Kiranjit K. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6617-5768, Bell, James ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8371-9851, Young, Robert D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8300-8002, Ma, Qian, Hayes, Sally ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8550-0108, Howard, Laura, Shebanova, Olga, Terrill, Nick J., Meek, Keith M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9948-7538, Regini, Justyn W. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6149-5893 and Quantock, Andrew J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2484-3120 2026. The structural order of crystallin proteins during early human lens development. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 67 (1) , 50. 10.1167/iovs.67.1.50

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Abstract

Purpose: To study the structural arrangement of crystallin proteins in the human lens during development. Methods: Fetal human lenses were acquired from the UK Human Developmental Biology Resource and examined at four developmental stages; postconception weeks (pcw) 8 to 9 (n = 5), 12 to 13 (n = 3), 16 to 17 (n = 6), and 20 to 21 (n = 3). Small-angle X-ray scattering patterns were obtained as raster scans across the entirety of each lens using a 0.1 nm-wavelength, synchrotron X-ray beam measuring 200 × 150 µm at the specimen. Analysis of each small-angle X-ray scattering pattern provided a measure of the average nearest neighbor spacing and the extent of spatial order in the crystallin protein array. Results: Crystallins in the lens center became compacted as development progressed, with the average spacing measuring 19.9 nm at 8 to 9 pcw, 19.6 nm at 12 to 13 pcw, 18.7 nm at 16 to 17 pcw, and 17.7 nm at 20 to 21 pcw. The spatial order of the crystallin proteins in the lens center also decreased with time as indicated by a parameter called the coherence distance, which measured 26.9 nm at 8 to 9 pcw, 24.7 nm at 12 to 13 pcw, 24.6 nm at 16 to 17 pcw, and 24.9 nm at 20 to 21 pcw. Spacing and spatial order were consistently higher at the lens periphery, compared with the center, at all developmental stages studied. Conclusions: Spatiotemporal modifications in the array of crystallin proteins occur as the human lens develops. These are perhaps reflective of a shift in the relative proportions of crystallin subtypes present and have potential implications for the lens's developing refractive index.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Optometry and Vision Sciences
Publisher:	Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
ISSN:	0146-0404
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	27 January 2026
Last Modified:	27 Jan 2026 15:03
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/184240

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