title: Quantitative aspects of the embryonic growth of the intestine and stomach.
abstract: The increase in the volume of the intestine and stomach with time was estimated in mouse embryos by means of a morphometric technique. The specific growth rate of the intestine is constant until birth, whereas that of the stomach decreases by a constant amount in time. Evidence is given that the growth of both these organs is a continuous process in the period under study; growth models based on exponential phases separated by breaks were not confirmed. A methodological criticism relating to the effect of skew sectioning in the estimation of the intestinal length and cross sectional area is put forward.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001699:Biometry; D005865:Gestational Age; D007422:Intestines / Q000196:embryology*; D051379:Mice; D013270:Stomach / Q000196:embryology*