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.
Département d'anatomie et de biologie cellulaire, Faculté de médecine, Université de Sherbrooke, Qué, Canada.
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D
Ménard
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Levy
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Delvin
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