Fig 4. Effect of chronic low-to-moderate ethanol consumption on cell apoptosis in young adult and older rats.

Adult male Wistar rats at each age were allowed to voluntarily consume a 20% v/v ethanol solution on alternating days for 13 weeks or were given access only to water (non-ethanol-exposed control). (A) Apoptosis (400x) in colonic crypts of young control. (B) The apoptotic index was lower overall in older rats than in young rats (P < 0.05) but did not differ as a function of ethanol treatment at either age. Bars with different superscripts differ significantly. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA, with follow up post hoc t-tests. Young/Control (N = 9); Young/Ethanol (N = 10); Old/Control (N = 10); Old/Ethanol (N = 9).