While extralenticular expression of proteins in the K K crystallin (small heat shock protein) family is well documented, that for proteins in the L L/Q Q-superfamily is less well established. Here we show, using SDS-PAGE, Western blotting and confocal microscopy, that there is a constitutive level of L L crystallin expression in mouse N1E-115 neural cells. Furthermore, upon heat shock at 43³C or 55³C, or cold shock at 30³C, L L crystallin immunoreactivity translocated predominantly from the nuclear region into the cytoplasmic region of the cells. In conditions of stress, it may be important for L L crystallin to be recruited into the cytoplasm to stabilise other proteins via its high L L-sheet content, and/or to ensure that storage levels of cytoplasmic Ca P+ are maintained.z 1998 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.