Figure 5. In vitro study on Wistar rat lenses cultured for 24 h in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium: RT–PCR investigations. A: Ethidium bromide–stained agarose gel showing differential staining intensity of mRNA transcripts of genes that encode calcium transporters and calpain isoforms in the three groups of lenses. B: Bar graphs of mean normalized densitometry readings of the mRNA transcripts of genes that encode calcium transporters and calpain isoforms in the three groups of lenses. Groups of lenses; Group I: Normal lenses incubated in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (DMEM) alone (control); Group II: Lenses incubated in DMEM that contained sodium selenite (100 μM selenite/ml of DMEM; selenite-challenged, untreated); Group IIIa: Lenses incubated in DMEM and simultaneously exposed to sodium selenite (100 μM selenite/ml of DMEM) and chrysin (200 μM chrysin/ml of DMEM; selenite-challenged simultaneously chrysin-treated). Statistical analysis of values derived with densitometric scanning of the agarose gel (values shown as a bar diagram to below the agarose gel). Values represent the mean ± standard deviation (SD) of the band intensity (densitometric reading) of each gene (experiments run in triplicate). Statistical analysis was one-way ANOVA with post hoc testing (least significant difference). ^aStatistically significant difference (p<0.05) when compared with the Group I values. ^bStatistically significant difference (p<0.05) when compared with the Group II values. Abbreviations: PMCA-1=plasma membrane Ca²⁺-ATPase-1; NCX-1=plasmalemmal Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchanger-1; SERCA-2=sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase-2; Lp82=lens preferred calpain 82; GAPDH=glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase.