URETERAL GROWTH IN A GOETTINGEN MINIPIG INDUCED BY EPIDERMAL GROWTH-FACTOR - A CASE-REPORT

We have recently discovered that prolonged systemic administration of epidermal growth factor (EGF) induces a remarkable growth of all wall layers of the urinary tract in minipigs. In the present paper, we repo rt the most pronounced changes induced by 4 weeks of systemic EGF chal lenge in two pigs treated for four weeks with either solvent or EGF (3 0 mu g/kg/day), respectively. The EGF treated ureter was longer and th icker with an approximately four fold increase in diameter. All wall l ayers were enlarged. The urothelium was increased from 5 to 10 cellula r rows with basal hyperplasia and an increased number of goblet cells and cells with intracytoplasmic lumina in the luminal half. In the mus cular coat, the bundles of hypertrophied cells and intervening connect ive tissue were enlarged. The present paper suggests a possible in viv o approach to increase the amount of tissue needed in reconstructive s urgery of the urinary tract.