Apoptosis in the small intestine of zinc-deficient and fasted rats.

The number of apoptotic bodies found in the small intestine of control non-fasted rats was low. Apoptotic bodies were found in the crypt region of zinc-deficient rats and were present in very large numbers in half the animals examined. Increased numbers of apoptotic bodies were found in the crypt and fundic regions of fasted rats. The failure of cellular DNA synthesis which may occur in both zinc deficiency and fasting is considered as a possible cause of cell death by apoptosis.