Basic Methods for Assessing Cellular Proliferation

Cell proliferation in gastrointestinal mucosa.

“…Radioactive thymidine incorporation labels newly synthesised DNA, relying on the assumption that every DNA synthesising cell exposed to the thymidine will incorporate it in a dose dependent manner. 13 This is not always the case: first, the amount of unlabelled thymidine (cold thymidine) in the sample may aVect the proliferation rate if present in large amounts 14 15 ; there is also some evidence that some cells may have the ability to retain the thymidine in a non-exchangeable form and incorporate the label at a later date. 16 Second, there is a theoretical risk of radiation induced nuclear damage if high specific activity thymidine is used or the study is over a prolonged period.…”