Recruitment of cells in the small intestine into rapid cell cycle by small doses of external gamma or internal beta-radiation.

Epithelial cell recruitment was examined in mouse ileum after external gamma-irradiation (50 cGy) or internal beta-irradiation (0.148 MBq/g of [3H]thymidine), using the per cent-labelled-mitoses method and by analysing the distribution of mitotic cells in the crypts. In the presumptive stem cell zone at the lower cell positions of the crypt, the slowly cycling cells decreased their cell cycle 6 or 12 hours after a dose of 50 cGy. In the higher cell positions, a slight shortening of the cell cycle was also observed. After administration of a high dose of [3H]thymidine, dormant (G0) cells also entered the cell cycle in the lower cell positions. The results suggest that stem cells in the crypt may react to irradiation in two ways: first, by shortening the cell cycle in cycling cells; secondly, by an entry into the cell cycle by other dormant cells. There was destruction of some cycling stem cells before any recruitment. The data support the idea that the stem cell population in the crypt is heterogeneous.