Fig. 2.

Ron loss heightens the severity of colitis following chronic DSS treatment. Survival curve of TK−/− and TK+/+ mice during chronic colitis is depicted (A). Temporal weight loss in mice following induction of chronic colitis is shown (B). TK−/− mice displayed higher gross clinical pathological scores in the recovery phase after 3 cycles of DSS treatment compared with TK+/+ mice (C). TK−/− colons exhibited more severe colitis and shortening of the colon (D). Representative colon sections from TK+/+ and TK−/− mice were analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin staining for colitis severity (E) with TK−/− colons exhibiting elevated histopathology scores (F). Arrows in E denote regions of ulceration. TK−/− colonic crypts had diminished epithelial cell proliferation following chronic colitis assessed by 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation (G). n = 5–24 mice per group, *P < 0.05, Scale bar = 200 μm.