The second messenger system in the stimulation of cellular growth

A survey is given of recent results on ionic fluxes as fast events following proliferative stimulation of cells. From this, a hypothesis of interactions of ionic fluxes, pH and cAMP concentration shifts as a system of second messengers leading to cellular growth is developed. Own X-ray microanalytical results from hepatocytes in vivo of young and adult rats are shown to be consistent with that hypothesis.