Studies on the possible influence of the so-called wound healing reaction on DNA synthesis in organ culture.

Tissue sectioning is a necessary preliminary step in the preparation of organ culture explants. The real extent of tissue damage in the "wound healing reaction" can be assessed by DNA isotopic labeling. The differential count of labeling indices between epithelial structures located at the margin of the explants and similar structures near the center was used to study the influence of tissue damage on DNA synthesis. Our results suggest a time-related influence of wound healing on labeling indices. This reaction has to be taken into account when DNA synthesis is used as an indicator of hormonedependency in vitro.