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The concentrations of cyclic nucleotides (CN) were examined in rectal mucosal biopsy specimens from 52 patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC) and 10 healthy controls. The three degrees of inflammation, evaluated macroscopically by endoscopy and by morphometry in the specimens by estimating the cellular infiltration of the lamina propria, corresponded nicely with each other. The proliferative-regenerative morphologic changes in the rectal mucosa were graded qualitatively and quantitatively in three groups in accordance with defined criteria. A significant difference in cAMP concentration was only found between the most severe degree of inflammation (infiltration, 44.6%) in UC and healthy controls. cAMP concentration in rectal mucosal specimens was lower at the highest degree of regeneration than in specimens with lower degrees. Thus cAMP may play a role in the epithelial regeneration of rectal mucosa. The values of CN concentration did not correlate with the degree of inflammation in rectal mucosa from patients with UC.