Distribution of intravenously injected 24NaCl in different tissues of the rabbit eye

The penetration of intravenously injected 24NaCl into intraocular fluids and individual eye tissues was studied in the rabbit. The radioactivity of samples of blood, anterior and posterior aqueous, central and peripheral cornea, iris, lens, vitreous and retina, sclera and adherent uveal tissue, was measured in five different time intervals after intravenous injection of the radioisotope. The purpose of the study was to establish the most suitable interval between the injection of 24NaCl and sacrifice of experimental animals to be used in future investigations of functional alterations taking place after experimental injuries of the anterior segment of the rabbit eye. Intervals of 3–4 hr seem to be the most satisfactory for this purpose. The dynamics of 24Na penetration are compared with previous results on 45Ca.