IN VITRO STUDY OF HUMAN RECTAL EPITHELIAL CELLS. I. ATYPICAL ZONE OF H3 THYMIDINE INCORPORATION IN MUCOSA OF MULTIPLE POLYPOSIS

Abstract

A method is described for in vitro culture of human rectal mucosa for periods up to 24 hours. The rate of incorporation of H3 thymidine was measured in nuclei of epithelial cells of rectal mucosa from 16 normal subjects and 2 subjects with multiple polyposis. Quantitative data on the percentage of labeled cells found in various portions of the rectal crypts at specific time intervals after incubation with the isotope revealed that the rate of incorporation in normal and polyposis tissue was similar. An alteration in the pattern of thymidine incorporation into the crypt epithelium of the polyposis tissue was noted, however, indicating a displacement of the zone of active cell proliferation in these crypts.