RAPID EPITHELIAL RESTITUTION IN THE STOMACH - AN UPDATED PERSPECTIVE

Background: Rapid epithelial restitution (RER) of rodent and amphibian gastric mucosa was described in the early 1980s. It begins within min utes of superficial injury and is accomplished by migrating interfoveo lar and mucous neck cells. Methods: Subsequent studies using electroph ysiologic and morphologic techniques have shown additional aspects of RER. Results: (i) Cells migrating at later times (>4 h) are not phenot ypically mucous cells but undifferentiated cells, suggesting that two cell types cover mucosal defects. (ii) One of the factors necessary fo r optimal RER is an intact basal lamina. Superficial gastric epithelia l cells preferentially adhere and spread on basal lamina substrates in the following order: Matrigel > collagen IV > fibronectin > laminin. (iii) RER can be accelerated in vitro in amphibian gastric mucosa by t he addition of basic fibroblast growth factor or sucrose octasulfate. (iv) Cells with microwounds in the plasma membrane can still migrate a s part of RER. Conclusion: Despite these additional data on RER it is still uncertain whether its acceleration can prevent gastric ulceratio n or if its impairment leads to gastric ulceration.