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Ischemia and post-ischemic regeneration of the small intestinal mucosa

A light microscopic and autoradiographic study

  • Published:
Virchows Archiv B

Summary

After reversible ligation of the arcade vessels of the proximal jejunum, the intestinal mucosa was investigated by light microscopic and autoradiographic methods after 15, 30, 60, 120 and 300 min of ischemia. Early ischemic damage to the mucosa (after about 15 min) is characterized by shedding of not yet irreversibly damaged enterocytes from the tips of the villi into the intestinal lumen and bleb formation starting at the base of the epithelia. This process advances from the tips to the bases of the villi with increasing duration of ischemia, and the villi are completely denuded of epithelium after ischemia lasting 2 h. Remains of the small intestinal crypts are still present at this time. After ischemia lasting for 5 h, almost the entire intestinal wall is necrotic.

The post-ischemic repair of the small intestinal mucosa was investigated using light microscopic and autoradiographic methods 12 and 24 h and 3 and 8 days after a 2 h ischemic episode.

Reepithelialization takes place from the crypt residues still preserved at this time. After 12 h a flat epithelium is present, but by 24 h the epithelial cells are cuboidal or columnar and incipient development of small intestinal villi is apparent. After 8 days, the regenerated small intestinal mucosa shows a normal morphological appearance. This rapid repair of the small intestinal mucosa is brought about by an above-normal proliferation of the epithelia derived from the residual crypts.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pathologisches Institut der Universitat Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, D-6500, Mainz, Federal Republic of Germany

    R. Wagner, H. Gabbert & P. Hohn

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  1. R. Wagner
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  2. H. Gabbert
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  3. P. Hohn
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With support by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

We thank Mrs. Dorothea Dellee and Mr. Christian Hoffmann for technical assistance

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Wagner, R., Gabbert, H. & Hohn, P. Ischemia and post-ischemic regeneration of the small intestinal mucosa. Virchows Archiv B Cell Pathol 31, 259–276 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02889943

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