Inhibition of intestinal epithelial cell renewal and migration induced by starvation

Following starvation in mice, the rate of cell renewal of intestinal epithelium was measured. Injection of thymidine-H3 and microautoradiography, and thymidine-C14 and chemical extraction procedure were utilized. Cell renewal was reduced to about one-half the normal rate following extreme starvation. Morphological changes and impaired differentiation of the epithelial cells accompanied this change. The rate of migration of the epithelial cells to the villus tips was also reduced.