Cell replication in retinal vessels of streptozotocin diabetic mice.

The retinal vascular bed from streptozotocin diabetic mice was investigated with respect to cell replication. The diabetic animals showed a significantly decreased endothelial cell labelling index as compared to their normal controls. It is suggested that the low cell replication characterizes the early diabetic vascular disease and that this animal model may reflect the inducement of the simplex diabetic retinopathy.