Increased Turnover of Intestinal Mucosal Cells of Germfree Mice Induced by Cholic Acid

When germfree mice are fed a diet supplemented with cholic acid, the turnover of intestinal mucosal cells is reduced from 4.44 to 2.12 days, which is the turnover time in conventional mice. It is concluded that cholic acid, which is produced in conventional mice by hydrolyzing enzymes of bacterial origin, has a regulatory effect on intestinal mucosal cell turnover.