Figure 7.

Model for filling the same volume with particles of α-crystallin of different sizes at the concentration of about 500 mg/mL: (A) monomeric α-crystallin; (B) α-crystallin complex. The calculation of the filling of the same volume with particles of different sizes shows that, at C = 500 mg/mL, the monomers will occupy about 0.45V (A) and that the complexes will occupy 0.83V (B). When the concentration of α-crystallin is up to 1000 mg/mL (as in some fish), α-crystallin in the form of complexes will take 1.66V, i.e., particles will not fit in the cell. Taking into account the fact that, in addition to α-crystallin, in the fibrous cells of the eye lens, there are β-, γ-crystallins and a number of other cellular proteins of the cytoskeleton, the existence of α-crystallin in the form of complexes is problematic.