Repair of the surface epithelium after saponin-induced colonic mucosal injury in the rat

The superficial colonic epithelia of rats were exposed to 1.0% saponin solution for 3 min and fixed at various periods thereafter. The repair or restitution process was observed by light as well as by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. The exposure of the luminal surface to saponin resulted in uniform and extensive damage to the superficial epithelial cells without affecting the cells in the crypts. At 3 min after saponin treatment, the damaged epithelial cells exfoliated from the mucosa and the basal lamina was exposed. Within 15 min, most of the exposed basal lamina was covered by squamous to low-cuboidal epithelial cells, probably migrating from the crypts. These epithelial cells extended large lamellipodia over the denuded basal lamina. After 15 min the damaged surface was completely covered with epithelial cells, which became columnar at 1 h. Tight junction protein ZO-1 became positive along the restituted epithelium. Proliferating-cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) staining showed that proliferation of epithelial cells occurred after the restitution. These results suggest that saponin treatment serves as a good model system to study colonic restitution, which is carried out by rapid migration from the remaining crypt cells, followed by cellular proliferation. Rapid formation of tight junctions spanning the damaged regions allows rapid restoration of the barrier function of the colonic epithelium.