The Relationship of Carbohydrate Metabolism and Mitotic Activity in the Mouse
1. The presence of a variation in the mitotic activity of the ear epithelium of normal mice between the hours of 10 a.m. and noon has been demonstrated, in accordance with the ‘diurnal cycle’ found by other workers. An attempt to correlate this with alteration in the level of reducing sugar in the blood has failed, since this level showed no appreciable variation between 10 a.m. and noon. 2. Efforts to influence either the blood-sugar level or the mitotic activity by injecting starch subcutaneously failed to produce any effect. Injection of glucose produced some slight rise in the blood-sugar level, but did not influence the mitotic activity. 3. It is suggested that, while an adequate supply of carbohydrate is probably necessary for the mitotic process, the diurnal cycle may normally be controlled by nervous or hormonal influences.