EPIDERMAL GROWTH-FACTOR AND FLUID BALANCE - A REVIEW

Lambs suffer from high mortality rates within the first 2-3 days after birth. The importance of sucking behaviour for the ingestion of colos trum and subsequently milk by the newborn animal is therefore seen as crucial for its survival and development. Epidermal growth factor (EGF ) is a component of colostrum and milk (Read 1988; Gow et al. 1991) wh ere it is thought to function as a promoter of gut maturation in young animals following ingestion. We recently reported (Gow and Moore 1992 ) a new physiological function for EGF, that of stimulating fluid inta ke in adult sheep. Here we present a review of the functions of EGF, p articularly as they relate to lactation, body growth, appetite and flu id balance. We hypothesise that another function of EGF in mammary sec retions may be to regulate body growth by altering sucking behaviour a nd activity in the neonate.