Growth hormone stimulates remnant small bowel epithelial cell proliferation

Currently the major treatment choices for short bowel syndrome are parenteral nutrition and small bowel transplantation[1]. Both therapies involve great fiscal challenge and recurring complications. Recent years have witnessed the promising experimental results of pharmacological rehabilitation of remnant small bowel[2-10]. Preliminary clinical trial also indicates salutary effect of growth hormone on patients with short bowel syndrome[11,12]. However, the mechanism by which growth hormone benefits the patients remains unclear. In this animal experiment we attempted to address the possibility that administration of exogenous growth hormone (GH) after massive small bowel resection can stimulate remnant small intestinal epithelial cell proliferation.