With a grant from the National Institutes of Health, Koretz is studying alpha crystallin, the protein that makes up 50 percent of the dry weight of the lens. Understanding the properties of this protein could lead to a better understanding of the eye’s aging process. When the proteins of the lens aggregate, or build up, they make the lens less transparent. This natural aging process also lessens the lens’ refractive power and causes glare, which is why most older people have difficulty seeing at night. “Around the age of 20 or so, the ability to focus extremely close up begins to decrease dramatically, but most people don’t realize it because they are not performing tasks so close to their faces,” says Koretz. According to Koretz, the eyeball has grown to its fullest by age 3, but the lens is always growing. The lens, which lies behind the cornea and the iris, is formed through cell accumulation. However, it does not shed old cells, so layers build up, much like the rings of a tree. As the lens grows larger, it also becomes more difficult to change its shape for the focusing process. This is why most people need reading glasses by their 40s or 50s, Koretz says. And because the protein alpha crystallin is associated with amyloid bodies, or abnormal proteins, Koretz’s research could help researchers find the cause of Alzheimer’s and other amyloid illnesses, such as Huntington’s and Lou Gehrig’s diseases. CONTACT: Theresa Bourgeois, (518) 276-2840, bourgt@rpi.edu |
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