Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 30, 2025

Deficient Pms2, ERCC1, Ku86, CcOI in Field Defects During Progression to Colon Cancer
Published on: July 28, 2010
Crypts in Asymmetric Branching in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis in Remission
Carlos A Rubio1, Michael Vieth2, Corinna Lang-Schwarz3
1Department of Pathology, Karolinska Institute, and University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Carlos.Rubio@ki.se.
Background/Aim:
To report the frequency of crypts in asymmetric branching (CAB) in biopsies from all colorectal segments in patients with ulcerative colitis in remission (UCR).
Patients And Methods:
Biopsies in 100 UC patients were investigated: 50 with UCR and 50 with ongoing long-lasting UC (LLU; i.e., controls).
Results:
The frequency of CAB was significantly lower in UCR than in LLUC, both in the right colon and left colorectum. CAB frequency was not influenced by two important confounders: the age and sex of patients.
Conclusion:
CAB is a pathologic aberration of colorectal cryptogenesis evoked by chronic mucosal inflammation. When chronic inflammation waned in UCR, the production of CAB plummeted or ceased. Chronic inflammation and protracted disease-duration in LLUC increase the risk for colorectal dysplasia or carcinoma. Importantly, dysplastic CAB were recently detected in LLUC-associated dysplasia. Whether the abrogation of CAB is instrumental in reducing the neoplastic risk in UCR patients, deserves further investigation.
Related Concept Videos
Drugs for Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis in IBD
Inflammatory Bowel Disease I: Ulcerative Colitis
Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, encompasses a group of disorders characterized by chronic inflammation or ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract.
Risk Factors
The exact cause of IBD remains unclear, although it is believed to be due to a mix of genetic, environmental, microbial, and immune factors. Genetic factors are significant in determining susceptibility to IBD, with family history being a critical risk factor. Individuals with a first-degree relative who has IBD are at...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Crohn's Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease, commonly known as IBD, refers to a collection of disorders that lead to persistent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The two types of IBD are ulcerative colitis, which impacts the colon, and Crohn's disease, which can involve any part of the gastrointestinal segment.
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a chronic, systemic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that predominantly affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is marked by...
Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Immunomodulatory Agents
Inflammatory Bowel Disease V: Surgical Management
Here are some common surgical interventions for IBD:
Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Glucocorticoids

