Ontogeny of alpha-crystallin subunits in the lens of human and rat embryos.

The distribution of αA- and αB-crystallin in the developing lens of human (Carnegie stages 13 to 23) and rat embryos (embryonic days E11 to 18) was examined immunohistochemically. In a human embryo at stage 13, the lens placode was already immunoreactive to αB-crystallin, but not to αA-crystallin. At stage 15, the lens vesicle was intensely immunoreactive both to αA- and αB-crystallin. From stages 16 to 23, the lens epithelial cells and fiber cells were immunoreactive to αA- and αB-crystallin. In rat embryos, αA-crystallin appeared in the lens pit at E12, and αB-crystallin appeared in the elongating lens fiber cells at E14. From E15 to E18, the lens epithelial cells and fiber cells were immunoreactive to αA-crystallin. The lens fiber cells were also immunoreactive to αB-crystallin, but the epithelial cells were not. These findings suggest that αB-crystallin appears earlier than αA-crystallin in the human lens, but at a later period than αA-crystallin in the rat lens. αB-Crystallin was not detected in the epithelial cells of the rat lens, but was perisistently present in the epithelial cells of the human lens.