GUT REGULATORY PEPTIDES IN YOUNG CATTLE AND SHEEP

This review summarizes recent advances on blood plasma patterns, recep tors, secondary messengers and metabolism of gut regulatory peptides ( i.e. gastrin, secretin, somatostatin, cholecystokinin, vasoactive inte stinal polypeptide, pancreatic polypeptide, gastric inhibitory polypep tide, motilin), in young ruminants during fetal and perinatal stages, during the preruminant stage and at weaning. It also deals with their role in the digestive tract function and postabsorptive changes. Some pathological situations in young ruminants are considered. Recent mole cular aspects of digestive enzyme synthesis are also reported.