Crystallins are the dominant structural components of the vertebrate eye lens (Probable). Also plays an important role for integrity and function of auditory nuclei (PubMed:27517863). Monomer. Primordially eye-specific. Present in lens nucleus. In the retina, expression in observed in the outer plexiform layer (containing photoreceptors axons and synapses) and photoreceptor outer segments (at protein level) (PubMed:15853812). Also detected in the auditory hindbrain where it is highly expressed in the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body, but also present in other nuclei of the superior olivary complex (PubMed:27517863). Has a two-domain beta-structure, folded into four very similar Greek key motifs. Belongs to the beta/gamma-crystallin family.