Diversity of restitution after deoxycholic acid-induced small intestinal mucosal injury in the rat

Repair of superficial damage to gastrointestinal mucosa occurs by a process called restitution, with epithelial integrity and continuity reestablished before cell proliferation occurs. The aim of the present study was to investigate the diversity of restitution in rat jejunum exposed to different concentrations of deoxycholic acid (DOC; 1.5 - 100 mmol/liter). Following a 30-min exposure, the intestine was allowed to recover for 15 - 330 minutes. DOC caused dose-dependent tissue destruction. Exfoliating epithelial cells were already observed after 5 min of exposure (1.5 mmol/liter), with simple sloughing off and resealing of the tips. Moderately affected epithelium ( 20 mmol/liter) demonstrated denudation of villous tips and then became covered with goblet cells. Severely affected epithelium ( 100 mmol/liter) also appeared to be replaced with goblet cells. These data suggest that the reversibility of mucosal damage induced by DOC is due to a variety of processes, which depend on the severity of the mucosal insult.