A COMPARISON OF THE LOCAL AND REMOTE EFFECTS OF BASEMENT-MEMBRANE REGENERATION IN NORMAL AND DIABETIC RATS

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 61  (6) , 661-671
Abstract
When the capsule basement membrane of the lens was partially removed, the underlying epithelial cells of the normal rat, as the animal age, continued to produce basement membrane as if the membrane was not disturbed. The response of the diabetic animal was quite different and basement membrane synthesis was increased by about 60%. This increase occurred at a reduced rate in the opposite eye where basement membrane was undisturbed. This was a sympathetic effect and appeared due to a substance or substances dissolved in the aqueous humor of the sympathizing eye and arising from increased activity of cells producing basement membrane in the other eye.