Epithelial regeneration of transposed intestine after high doses of X-irradiation

The regeneration capacities of normal and transposed small bowel epithelium were compared in rats after applying high doses of X-irradiation. It has been shown that the potency of the mucosa to regenerate is much higher than assumed and that the mucosa can regenerate after single doses varying from 2000-5000 R. Even in the villus epithelium and in flat epithelium covering infiltrates of the lamina propria cells survive, which are still able to resume proliferative activity several days after irradiation.