Mice overexpressing CD97 in intestinal epithelial cells provide a unique model for mammalian postnatal intestinal cylindrical growth.

ABSTRACT: Postnatal enlargement of the mammalian intestine comprises cylindrical and luminal growth, associated with crypt fission and crypt/villus hyperplasia, respectively, which subsequently predominate before and after weaning. The bipartite adhesion G protein-coupled receptor CD97 shows an expression gradient along the crypt-villus axis in the normal human intestine. We here report that transgenic mice overexpressing CD97 in intestinal epithelial cells develop an upper megaintestine. Intestinal enlargement involves an increase in length and diameter but does not affect microscopic morphology, as typical for cylindrical growth. The megaintestine is acquired after birth and before weaning, independent of the genotype of the mother, excluding altered availability of milk constituents as driving fa

SUBMITTER: Aust G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3708731 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature