Role of polyamines in gastrointestinal mucosal growth

The polyamines have been under active investigation for nearly three decades. There is a great deal of evidence that they play an important role in gastrointestinal mucosal growth, but the mechanisms through which this role is carried out are still not fully explained. This review examines the role of the polyamines in the regulation of mucosal growth, the control of intracellular polyamine levels, the biosynthesis of the polyamines, and some known mechanisms of their action. Finally, we propose a model of polyamine action that reconciles the effects of various trophic agents and situations in which growth is stimulated along with concomitant changes in polyamine levels. It accounts for both humoral and gradient-oriented features of various adaptive responses of the gastrointestinal mucosa and is intended to provide a framework for the future investigation of the role of the polyamines in this tissue.