Proliferation of the glandular epithelium of the resected rat stomach.

Between 45 and 50% of the wall of the gastric fundus was resected in adult male rats. By pulse labeling and 5 injections of thymidine-H-3 in the course of the 24 h an increase in the number of cells synthesizing DNA and the number of dividing cells of all types was found in the chief glands of the stomach during the first 3 days after resection. On the 5th-10th day the level of proliferation of all types of cells was lower than in intact animals except for the DNA-synthesizing parietal cells. The daily number ofDNA-synthesizing cells of all types 3-6 months after the operation had risen to the characteristic level for intact animals. The number of cells on the surface and pit epithelium and the number of mucous neck and parietal cells were increased. Partial reduction and dedifferentiation of the zymogenic cells were observed.