Effects of calcitriol on proliferation and differentiation of human fetal jejunum.
Several lines of evidence suggest a role for calcitriol in the regulatory mechanisms of intestinal development. Using organ culture as a model, we have verified whether this hormone influenced the cellular proliferation and differentiation processes of the developing human jejunum. We show that calcitriol supports a proliferative process in the fetal human jejunum at 11 weeks of gestation and a differentiating activity in samples obtained between 16 and 20 weeks. The present data therefore suggest that calcitriol has a biphasic effect on the development of the human intestinal epithelium and warrants caution in extrapolating to human, data observed in developing rodents and human carcinoma cell lines.
Ménard
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D
Département d'anatomie et de biologie cellulaire, Faculté de médecine, Université de Sherbrooke, Qué, Canada.
Levy
E
E
Delvin
E E
EE
D002117:Calcitriol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005333:Fetus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007583:Jejunum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology*; D043322:Lactase; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D013393:Sucrase / Q000378:metabolism; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000378:metabolism
D004247:DNA; D043322:Lactase; D001616:beta-Galactosidase; D013393:Sucrase; D002117:Calcitriol