The role of pancreatico-biliary secretions in intestinal adaptation after resection, and its relationship to plasma enteroglucagon.

Two groups, each containing 16 male Wistar rats, had either 75 per cent small bowel resection or jejunal transection; 8 animals from each group; had previously been subjected to pancreatico-biliary diversion. All animals were killed 12 days after the operation, plasma enteroglucagon levels were measured and crypt cell production rate (CCPR) at different sites of the remaining small intestine was measured using a metaphase arrest technique with vincristine. In each of the resected groups there was a significant increase in the CCPR and enteroglucagon levels compared with the transected groups. Furthermore it was found that the CCPR and enteroglucagon levels were higher in the resected group without the pancreatico-biliary diversion compared with the resected group with the diversion. This study, although it confirms the importance of pancreatico-biliary secretions in intestinal adaptation, could also indicate that a humoral factor may be important in the control of intestinal cell proliferation. Our findings do not exclude the possibility that enteroglucagon could be a candidate for such a role.