Figure 1. Mechanism of selenite nuclear cataract formation

Altered epithelial metabolism
(oxidation, DNA and RNA metabolism, calcium homeostasis)

Calcium accumulation in nucleus

Activation of m-calpain (calpain II)

Proteolysis and loss of N-terminal extensions on ß-crystallins

Insolubilization of proteolyzed ß- and alpha-crystallins,
co-precipitation of gamma-crystallins

Light scatter and cataract