Figure 1. Muc2 ^−/− mice exhibited chronic inflammation and cancers in colon and rectum.

A, Colitis and an adenoma in mouse colon at age of 3 months. Gray arrows pointed severe infiltration of inflammatory cells, white arrow pointed an adenoma. B, colonic adenocarcinoma with inflammatory cell infiltration at age of 6 months. C, Rectal prolapsed at 6 months. D, Histopathology of the rectal prolapse, showing cancer cell invasion and severe inflammation in the rectum (age of 6 months).