Fig. 1

Ingestion of inulin stimulates cell proliferation in the colon. A Experimental model scheme with two dietary groups. B Representative images of the harvested cecum and colon after 30 days of indicated diet. C Quantification of colon length normalized by mice weight (n = 19–24). Data pooled from 4 independent experiments. D Representative images of colonic epithelium by H&E staining. Scale bars, 100 µm. E Measurement of colon crypt depth (n = 8–10). Data were pooled from 2 independent experiments. F Quantification of the number of EdU-positive cells normalized by the number of acquired singlets by flow cytometry in both proximal and distal regions of the colon (n = 3). G Visualization of EdU-positive cells in colonic crypts by fluorescence microscopy following EdU Click-iT reaction. Scale bars, 50 µm. H Quantification of EdU-positive cells per crypt (n = 6–7). Data were pooled from 2 independent experiments and analyzed by Mann–Whitney test. I Representative images of crypts-derived colon organoids 5 days in the culture. Scale bars, 1 mm. J Quantification of the clonogenicity capacity of colon crypts (n = 10–11). Data were pooled from 2 independent experiments. In all graphs, each point represents an individual animal. Unless otherwise stated, results were analyzed by Student’s t-test. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ****p < 0.0001