Neural stimulation of mitotic activity in the crypts of lieberkühn in rat jejunum

The influence of nerve stimulation and sham-stimulation on the mitotic rate in epithelial cells lining the crypts of Lieberkühn in the jejunum of anaesthetized rats was studied. Administration of the anaesthetic and opening the abdominal cavity was without significant effect on the crypt cell mitotic rate. However, externalizing a loop of jejunum and applying sham-stimuli to its mesenteric nerves resulted in a significant decrease in the crypt cell mitotic rate in that loop. Application of electrical stimuli to the mesenteric nerves of another externalized jejunal loop resulted in a significant increase in the mitotic rate in the crypt cells of that segment. Similar acceleration of crypt cell proliferation by electrical stimuli applied to mesenteric nerves was also seen in chemically sympathectomized rats.