Cell kinetics during healing of corneal epithelial wounds.

After removing a circular area of the central corneal epithelium of the rat eye, the labelling indices and the mitotic rates were measured at various times after wounding, both in the cornea and in the adjacent conjunctival epithelium. The proliferative response was most marked in the corneal epithelium adjacent to the wound, but there was also a definite response in the epithelium covering the denuded areas, and in the conjunctival epithelium. The study demonstrated that the conjunctival epithelium. The study demonstrated that the conjunctiva itself plays a role in the healing of a central corneal epithelial wound. The similarities in the cellular response may indicate that both epithelia are under the influence of the same growth-suppressing factors (chalones), and must be looked upon as a unit. However, no support was found for the theory that the limbal area serves as a generative organ for the corneal epithelium.