Cytokinetics of Developing Intestine

Abstract

The authors studied the cytokinetics of the intestinal epithelium of mouse during growth and the changes in their cellular composition using ³H-thymidine autoradiography.
1. Throughout the developmental stages of the intestine, the mitotic index and the ³H-labeling index in the crypt are almost constant.
2. The life span of the villus cell of infantile mouse is longer than that of adult but becomes shorter as the animal grows up.
3. The generation time of the generative cell is constant throughout the growing stages.
4. As the animal grows up, the cell compartment of the villus cell, the generative cell and of the PANETH cell increase in constituent cell numbers.
5. It is probable that the size of the cell compartment can vary independently from the rate of proliferation of the generative cells.