Background: The influence of the degree of cell differentiation and of physical stimulation on gastric mucosal wound healing is not completely understood.
Methods: A gastric mucosal cell line, GSM06, derived from the gastric mucosal cells of transgenic mice harbouring the simian virus 40 large T antigen, was cultured at 33 degrees C to make a confluent cell sheet. Artificial wounds of constant size were created. Wound healing was monitored at different temperatures (33, 37 and 39 degrees C), which altered the degree of differentiation. Cell proliferation was detected by bromodeoxyuridine staining. Mechanical strain was applied to adherent GSM06 cells after wounding in order to increase their length by an average of 5 or 10% at 5 cycles/min for 60 h. Repair of the wound was monitored every 12 h.
Results: Differentiated gastric epithelial cells showed a higher speed of migration. The number of proliferating cells around the wound was greatest at 33 degrees C and barely detectable at 39 degrees C. Under conditions of mechanical strain, the migration speed of differentiated cells (at 39 degrees C) slowed in a strain strength-dependent manner.
Conclusions: It is suggested that cell differentiation status and physical stimulants might play a role in gastric wound healing in vivo by modifying cellular migration.