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Abstract
The storage of thallous ion in ocular structures has been studied with the aid of the radioactive isotope Tl204. Thallous ion stores in the eye by at least two different mechanisms. The first of these is the storage on melanin pigment. This results in exceptionally high Tl levels in iris, choroid, and ciliary body of pigmented but not albino animals. The second storage mechanism is based on the similarity of Tl+ and K+. It causes high levels of Tl in lens, retina, and optic nerve in both pigmented and albino animals. The theoretical basis for these accumulation mechanisms, the biological questions raised by them, and experiments for study of the mechanisms are presented in the text.