The gastrointestinal tract as an endocrine organ

During the past several years gastrointestinal endocrinology has expanded its scope. Several specific clinical syndromes can be directly ascribed to abnormalities in the control of the gastrointestinal hormones. New concepts interrelating the gut and the brain have served as a stimulus for investigation of the interactions among control mechanisms in all aspects of human biology. The rapid, almost explosive progress in this area has been spearheaded by surgical physiologists, for which Dr. Graham would have been justly proud. Finally, it is important to spotlight the role that Washington University researchers have played in this developmental process.