EFFECT OF PARTIAL PANCREATECTOMY AND PINEALECTOMY ON RAT GASTROINTESTINAL CRYPT CELL-KINETICS

Pancreatic exocrine secretions are one of the luminal factors involved in the control of crypt cell proliferation in the rat small bowel. An y increase in the luminal levels of pancreatic secretion is associated with increased proliferation of the crypts. The possible role of panc reatic exocrine secretions in the hyperproliferative effects on the cr ypts associated with pinealectomy was investigated by combining pineal ectomy with 70% resection of the pancreas, so that there could not be a significant rise in the output of pancreatic secretions. This did no t result in any diminution of the hyperproliferative effects of pineal ectomy. Apparently the hyperproliferative effect on the small bowel cr ypts associated with pinealectomy does not depend on an increase in th e output of exocrine pancreatic secretions. Med Sci Res 26:549-550 (C) 1998 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.