Humoral growth factor after small intestinal resection in the dog

The serum of dogs with a 50% proximal small bowel resection is capable of growth stimulation in small intestinal epithelioid cells in monolayer culture. This overstimulation by postresection serum is not seen when dogs undergo either a small intestinal transection or a simple laparotomy or with baby hamster kidney fibroblast cells in culture. The effect does not seem to be represented by a gastrinlike molecule. This study lends support to the hypothesis that a humoral factor is involved in small intestinal adaptation after partial resection.