摘要：Abstract We have recently shown the presence of αB-crystallin in non-ocular tissues of diverse embryological origins such as the heart, brain, spinal cord, kidney, retina, etc. Using an αB-crystallin-specific antiserum and immunofluorescence, immunoblotting, immunoprecipitation and peptide mapping with Staphylococcus aureus protease, we demonstrate differential expression of αB-crystallin in epithelial and fibroblast cell lines. αB-Crystallin was detectable only in epithelial cell lines such as MDBK, MDCK, LLCPK1 and JTC-12, and was not observed in two kidney fibroblast cell lines, one skin fibroblast cell line, and one corneal fibroblast cell line. Differential expression of the αB-crystallin gene was also confirmed by Northern blot analysis of the RNAs isolated from these cell lines. These data suggest a cell-type-specific role for αB.