[Increased cell renewal of epithelial cells in the gallbladder induced by lithogenic diet (author's transl)]

Mice fed a diet containing 1% cholesterol and 0.5% cholic acid develop gallstones within six or eight weeks. Experimental lithogenesis initiates an increase in the proliferative activity of epithelial cells in the gallbladder well before the appearance of gallstones. During the initial stages of experimental cholelithiasis an increase in the number of labelled (tritiated thymidine) nuclei in mitosis and in the DNA-synthetic period was found. The labelled nuclei were observed particularly on the epithelial surface of the gallbladder; many of them were about to exfoliate into the lumen. These data were confirmed by applying vincristine. We would suggest that the rapid exfoliation of the proliferating cells could be one of the nucleating factors that promote gallstones formation.