Abstract:

Congenital cataracts are mainly caused by gene mutations affecting lens development. The EphA2 gene is located in the human chromosome 1p36. It encods EphA2 tyrosine kinase receptor, which is a specific kinase receptor in mammalian cells and expressed in many human tissue cells. The EphA2 tyrosine kinase receptor is related to numerous biological processes of the lens, such as intercellular communication between lens cells and the stability of the protein structure in the lens cells. The EphA2 SAM domain is responsible for orderly recruiting proteins in lens fiber cells, which is essential for regulation of cell migration. Furthermore, the normal assembling of EphA2/ephrin signaling complexes is prerequisite for the longitudinal alignment of lens fiber cells. The lens remains transparent only if the fiber cells are stable and arranged regularly, otherwise, congenital cataract is formed.(Int Rev Ophthalmol, 2018, 42:  174-178)