Abstract
Tritium labeled leucine, uridine and thymidine, and sulfur-35, together with radioautographic techniques, have been used to study early stages of healing of simple, uncomplicated, corneal wounds in rabbits. It was shown that protein and RNA synthesis increased very soon after cutting the cornea. In contrast, DNA synthesis started between the twelfth and eighteenth hours, and increased synthesis of sulfated mucopolysaccharides was observed later still (between 48 and 72 hours after injury). The data also throw some light on the rate of formation of these cellular and tissue components. The location of the cells, relative to the wound, which became activated, was determined, and it was shown that in these small wounds, the major activity in all of the processes studied was largely restricted to a narrow zone adjacent to the cut. The labeling pattern (i.e., nuclear, cytoplasmic, extracellular) obtained toith the different precursors was also noted.