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Abstract
The lipids of the human lens are found in two forms. The predominant form is a tightly bound lipid-protein complex with properties similar to those of the proteolipid of brain. This complex is rich in glycolipids, particularly a fraction tentatively identified as ganglioside. The second lipoidal form in the human lens consists of the unbound lipids. In mature senile cataracts, the total lipid content does not differ appreciably from that of the noncataractous lens, but the distribution of the two lipoidal forms is changed. The unbound lipids predominate in cataracts, with a corresponding decrease in proteolipid concentration. This shift in distribution suggests that proteolipidolysis is part of cataract formation.