Crystallins are the dominant structural components of the vertebrate eye lens

Cataract 20, multiple types

An opacification of the crystalline lens of the eye that frequently results in visual impairment or blindness. Opacities vary in morphology, are often confined to a portion of the lens, and may be static or progressive. In general, the more posteriorly located and dense an opacity, the greater the impact on visual function. CTRCT20 includes progressive polymorphic anterior, posterior, or peripheral cortical.

Crystallins are the dominant structural components of the vertebrate eye lens

Cataract 39, multiple types

An opacification of the crystalline lens of the eye that frequently results in visual impairment or blindness. Opacities vary in morphology, are often confined to a portion of the lens, and may be static or progressive. In general, the more posteriorly located and dense an opacity, the greater the impact on visual function. CTRCT39 includes lamellar, anterior polar, and complete cataracts.

Aquaporins form homotetrameric transmembrane channels, with each monomer independently mediating water transport across the plasma membrane along its osmotic gradient (PubMed:11001937, PubMed:24120416). Specifically expressed in lens fiber cells, this aquaporin is crucial for maintaining lens water homeostasis and transparency. Beyond water permeability, it also acts as a cell-to-cell adhesion molecule, forming thin junctions between lens fiber cells that are essential for maintaining the ordere

Cell membraneCell junction

Cataract 15, multiple types

An opacification of the crystalline lens of the eye that frequently results in visual impairment or blindness. Opacities vary in morphology, are often confined to a portion of the lens, and may be static or progressive. CTRCT15 includes polymorphic, progressive punctate lamellar, cortical, anterior and posterior polar, nonprogressive lamellar with sutural opacities, embryonic nuclear, and pulverulent cortical, among others.

Heat-shock transcription factor that specifically binds heat shock promoter elements (HSE) (PubMed:22587838, PubMed:23507146). Required for denucleation and organelle rupture and degradation that occur during eye lens terminal differentiation, when fiber cells that compose the lens degrade all membrane-bound organelles in order to provide lens with transparency to allow the passage of light (By similarity). In this process, may regulate denucleation of lens fiber cells in part by activating DNAS

Nucleus

Cataract 5, multiple types

An opacification of the crystalline lens of the eye that frequently results in visual impairment or blindness. Opacities vary in morphology, are often confined to a portion of the lens, and may be static or progressive. CTRCT5 includes infantile, lamellar, zonular, nuclear, anterior polar, stellate, and Marner-type cataracts, among others. Finger malformation is observed in some kindreds.

Contributes to the transparency and refractive index of the lens (PubMed:18302245). In its oxidized form (absence of intramolecular disulfide bond), acts as a chaperone, preventing aggregation of various proteins under a wide range of stress conditions (PubMed:18199971, PubMed:19595763, PubMed:22120592, PubMed:31792453). Required for the correct formation of lens intermediate filaments as part of a complex composed of BFSP1, BFSP2 and CRYAA (PubMed:28935373)

CytoplasmNucleus

Crystallins are the dominant structural components of the vertebrate eye lens

Cataract 23, multiple types

An opacification of the crystalline lens of the eye that frequently results in visual impairment or blindness. Opacities vary in morphology, are often confined to a portion of the lens, and may be static or progressive. In general, the more posteriorly located and dense an opacity, the greater the impact on visual function. CTRCT23 is a zonular cataract. Zonular or lamellar cataracts are opacities, broad or narrow, usually consisting of powdery white dots affecting only certain layers or zones between the cortex and nucleus of an otherwise clear lens. The opacity may be so dense as to render the entire central region of the lens completely opaque, or so translucent that vision is hardly if at all impeded. Zonular cataracts generally do not involve the embryonic nucleus, though sometimes they involve the fetal nucleus. Usually sharply separated from a clear cortex outside them, they may have projections from their outer edges known as riders or spokes.

May contribute to the transparency and refractive index of the lens. Has chaperone-like activity, preventing aggregation of various proteins under a wide range of stress conditions. In lens epithelial cells, stabilizes the ATP6V1A protein, preventing its degradation by the proteasome (By similarity)

CytoplasmNucleusSecretedLysosome

Myopathy, myofibrillar, 2A, adult-onset

A form of myofibrillar myopathy, a group of chronic neuromuscular disorders characterized at ultrastructural level by disintegration of the sarcomeric Z disk and myofibrils, and replacement of the normal myofibrillar markings by small dense granules, or larger hyaline masses, or amorphous material. MFM2A is an autosomal dominant form characterized by weakness of the proximal and distal limb muscles, weakness of the neck, velopharynx and trunk muscles, respiratory insufficiency, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and cataract.

Crystallins are the dominant structural components of the vertebrate eye lens

Cataract 2, multiple types

An opacification of the crystalline lens of the eye that frequently results in visual impairment or blindness. Opacities vary in morphology, are often confined to a portion of the lens, and may be static or progressive. CTRCT2 includes Coppock-like cataract, among others. Coppock-like cataract is a congenital pulverulent disk-like opacity involving the embryonic nucleus with many tiny white dots in the lamellar portion of the lens. It is usually bilateral and dominantly inherited. In some cases, CTRCT2 is associated with microcornea without any other systemic anomaly or dysmorphism. Microcornea is defined by a corneal diameter inferior to 10 mm in both meridians in an otherwise normal eye.

Crystallins are the dominant structural components of the vertebrate eye lens

Cataract 10, multiple types

An opacification of the crystalline lens of the eye that frequently results in visual impairment or blindness. Opacities vary in morphology, are often confined to a portion of the lens, and may be static or progressive. CTRCT10 includes congenital zonular with sutural opacities, among others. This is a form of zonular cataract with an erect Y-shaped anterior and an inverted Y-shaped posterior sutural opacities. Zonular or lamellar cataracts are opacities, broad or narrow, usually consisting of powdery white dots affecting only certain layers or zones between the cortex and nucleus of an otherwise clear lens. The opacity may be so dense as to render the entire central region of the lens completely opaque, or so translucent that vision is hardly if at all impeded. Zonular cataracts generally do not involve the embryonic nucleus, though sometimes they involve the fetal nucleus. Usually sharply separated from a clear cortex outside them, they may have projections from their outer edges known as riders or spokes.

Required for the correct formation of lens intermediate filaments as part of a complex composed of BFSP1, BFSP2 and CRYAA (PubMed:28935373). Plays a role in maintenance of retinal lens optical clarity (By similarity)

Cell membraneCytoplasmCytoplasm, cytoskeletonCytoplasm, cell cortex

Cataract 12, multiple types

An opacification of the crystalline lens of the eye that frequently results in visual impairment or blindness. Opacities vary in morphology, are often confined to a portion of the lens, and may be static or progressive. In general, the more posteriorly located and dense an opacity, the greater the impact on visual function. The opacities can be nuclear, sutural, stellate cortical, lamellar, cortical, nuclear embryonic, Y-sutural, punctate cortical, congenital or with juvenile- and adult-onset.

Crystallins are the dominant structural components of the vertebrate eye lens

Cataract 4, multiple types

An opacification of the crystalline lens of the eye that frequently results in visual impairment or blindness. Opacities vary in morphology, are often confined to a portion of the lens, and may be static or progressive. CTRCT4 includes crystalline aculeiform, congenital cerulean and non-nuclear polymorphic cataracts, among others. Crystalline aculeiform cataract is characterized by fiberglass-like or needle-like crystals projecting in different directions, through or close to the axial region of the lens. Non-nuclear polymorphic cataract is a partial opacity with variable location between the fetal nucleus of the lens and the equator. The fetal nucleus is normal. The opacities are irregular and look similar to a bunch of grapes and may be present simultaneously in different lens layers. Congenital cerulean cataract is characterized by peripheral bluish and white opacifications organized in concentric layers with occasional central lesions arranged radially. The opacities are observed in the superficial layers of the fetal nucleus as well as the adult nucleus of the lens. Involvement is usually bilateral. Visual acuity is only mildly reduced in childhood. In adulthood, the opacifications may progress, making lens extraction necessary. Histologically the lesions are described as fusiform cavities between lens fibers which contain a deeply staining granular material. Although the lesions may take on various colors, a dull blue is the most common appearance and is responsible for the designation cerulean cataract.