THE EFFECT OF GRADED SINGLE ORAL DOSES OF PROSTACYCLIN ON THE NUCLEIC-ACID CONTENT OF RAT GASTRIC-MUCOSA

Graded single oral doses of prostacyclin significantly enhance in dose -dependent manner the DNA and RNA content of rat gastric fundic mucosa , - resulting in a decreased RNA/DNA ratio. This latter phenomenon is convincing sign of new cell formation. In the antral region no signifi cant changes could be encountered but the RNA content showed a tendenc y-like elevation, evoking an elevated RNA/DNA ratio, which corresponds to de novo protein synthesis. The diversity of the noted changes give s further evidence to the tenet the antral and the fundic gastric muco sa of the rat reacts differently toward external stimuli.