G0/G1Arrest of Cell Proliferation in the Ocular Lens Prevents Development of Radiation Cataract

Abstract
Exposure of the eyes of young frogs and rats to X-rays (12–25 Gy) causes posterior cataracts to appear several weeks later. Hypophysectomized frogs do not develop these opacities, but hypophysectomized rats do. In the former, but not the latter animals, the operation completely stops lens mitosis, the epithelial cells being largely confined to the G₀/ G1 phase of the cell cycle.