Figure 3: Histological analysis of mouse small intestine after irradiation (acute phase). Mice received intraluminal infusion of AxCA-Bcl-XL (A), AxCA-lacZ (B) or PBS (C) with Pronase MS® treatment. Twenty four hours later, mice underwent 15-Gy whole body irradiation and samples were obtained at 3 days after irradiation. (A-C) Hematoxylin/eosin staining. (D) Evaluation of small intestinal epithelial cell damage as determined using the radiation injury scoring system. (E) Number of crypts per circumference. #p< 0.01 and *p< 0.05 versus the other two groups; n=5-6 in each group.