The kinetics of villus cell populations in the mouse small intestine

Abstract

The cell population kinetics of the villus epithelium of the mouse have been analysed with respect to the size, flux and time. Microdissection methods were employed to measure the villus cell population size and yielded reproducible, precise results. There was a proximodistal negative size gradient in villus cell population and, in those villi of normal morphology, there was a good correlation with the usual morphometric estimators such as height and row count, although correlation was improved by a product variable consisting of a height multiplied by a width parameter.

Progressive Changes in Adherens Junction Structure during Intestinal Adenoma Formation in Apc Mutant Mice

“…yses to exceed other cell types by Ͼ100-fold (42,43). These preparations, therefore, provided a favorable signal-to-noise ratio for studying the characteristics of post-mitotic, differentiated enterocytes in their in vivo condition.…”

Suppressor and Activator Functions Mediated by a Repeated Heptad Sequence in the Liver Fatty Acid-binding Protein Gene (Fabpl)

“…Cells are removed at the villus tip by apoptosis and/or exfoliation (20). The cycle is completed every 2-5 days (21)(22)(23)(24)(25). In contrast, Paneth cells, which elaborate anti-microbial peptides and growth factors, differentiate as they migrate to the base of the crypt where they reside for ϳ20 days (26,27).…”

Genetic engineering of carbohydrate biosynthetic pathways in transgenic mice demonstrates cell cycle-associated regulation of glycoconjugate production in small intestinal epithelial cells.

“…Members of the enterocytic, goblet, and enteroendocrine lineages differentiate as they are translocated in vertical coherent columns from each crypt up an adjacent villus (11,12). They complete their upward journey, enter a death program (13), and are exfoliated from the villus' apically situated extrusion zone into the intestinal lumen, all within a 2-to 5-day period (14). In contrast, Paneth cells differentiate during a downward migration to the crypt base where they reside for an average of 23 days before being removed by phagocytosis (15).…”