CHRONIC SYSTEMIC TREATMENT WITH EPIDERMAL GROWTH-FACTOR IN THE RAT INCREASES THE MUCOSAL SURFACE OF THE SMALL-INTESTINE

We examined the effects of treatment with human recombinant epidermal growth factor (EGF) on the functioning small intestine in the rat. Mal e Wistar rats, 7-8 weeks old, were treated with EGF administered subcu taneously in doses of 0 (n=7) or 150 mu g/kg/day (n=8) for 4 weeks. Th e histological composition and mucosal surface area of the perfusion-f ixed small intestine was quantified with stereological principles. The length of the gut remained unchanged. The amount of tissue and surfac e area per length of gut (median (ranges)) were increased from 117 (10 1-131) mg/cm and 2.6 (2.1-3.5) cm(2)/cm in the controls to 146 (138-15 2) mg/cm and 3.5 (2.5-3.8) cm(2)/cm for the complete small intestine ( both comparisons P < 0.02). The weight increase was due to mucosal gro wth in all parts of the intestine, whereas the surface area was only i ncreased in proximal and middle parts. It is concluded that EGF treatm ent in rats increases the mucosal weight and surface area of the funct ioning small intestine.