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Abstract
The epithelium of the avascular, noninnervated lens was used to study the influence of isoproterenol on cell division. Contrary to the well-known and specific stimulation of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis and cell division in the salivary glands of rats and mice by this catecholamine, the rat lens epithelium responded to a single dose of either locally or systemically administered drug with a transitory decrease of DNA synthesis at 16 hours and of mitosis eight hours later. A secondary stimulation of mitotic activity occurred at 48 hours when a high systemic dose of isoproterenol was given, but it could not be evoked by the lower local doses.