Shaven and unshaven rats were exposed to a cold stress at 4 degrees C for 6 hr (SE and UE). Control animals remained at room temperature (SC and UC). Hypothermia was induced in group SE, with mean rectal temperature of 22.0 +/- 2.0 degrees C (+/- S.E.M.). All other groups were normothermic, had similar arterial pO2 and hepatic tryptophan oxygenase levels. Acute hypothermia induced a sloughing of cells from the villi into the lumen of the gut, as indicated by an increased DNA in luminal washings. However, there was an unimpaired 3H-thymidine incorporation into the DNA of the intestinal mucosal cells and those present in lumina washes. Intestinal disaccharidases and alkaline phosphatase were not altered. This suggests that more severe cellular alterations reported earlier in hypothermia may have been caused by associated factors other than a decreased body temperature.