[Functional and morphological studies on intestinal mucosa of the rat under chronic glucagon application (author's...

Chronic application (20 days) of glucagon in pharmacological doses induces mucosal transformation of the hyperregenerative type in the small intestine of the rat. This transformation is characterized by decreased villi, and increased crypt length. The morphological changes are accompanied by a reduction in glucose absorption in vivo as well as by decreased activities of lactase, sucrase and maltase. The findings demonstrate that hyperglucagonemia is not the cause for hyperplastic mucosal transformation, which is found in the experimental diabetes in the rat.