Analysis of gland cell behavior: appendix to the dynamic histology of the antral epithelium in the mouse stomach.

The origin, route of migration, and ultimate fate of mucous gland cells in mouse antral units have been described in the preceding article. Three regions of the mucous gland, consisting of gland neck cells, mid-gland cells, and gland base cells, respectively were defined; and the renewal events in each of these regions were studied. In this article, the data obtained by Lee and Leblond (1985) were subjected to a mathematical analysis to obtain additional information about the rate of loss of cells. Calling each anatomical division a compartment, and utilizing the available histometric knowledge concerning the number of cells and the turnover of labeled cells in each compartment, a set of equations was developed, assuming a steady state, for which solutions yielded the number of cells lost from each compartment per unit time.