Skip to main content
PMC home page
The Journal of Physiology logoLink to The Journal of Physiology
. 1971 May;215(1):181–197.

Hyperplasia of the gastric mucosa during pregnancy and lactation in the rat

G P Crean, R D E Rumsey
PMCID: PMC1331873  PMID: 5579650

Abstract

1. The growth of the gastric mucosa during pregnancy and afterwards has been studied by comparing the stomachs of rats, killed at weekly intervals after impregnation, with the stomachs of virgin rats of the same age and starting weight. The rate of growth of the gastric mucosa in both groups was determined from the changes observed in the weight of the whole stomach, the weight and surface area of the fundus, the volume (mass) of the fundic mucosa and the total parietal and total peptic cell populations.

2. Hyperplasia of the gastric mucosa occurred during pregnancy and lactation, the effect being characterized by increases in the surface area and volume (mass) of the gastric mucosa, and in the total parietal and total peptic cell populations.

3. The data suggest that the effect developed shortly after conception. Hyperplasia of the gastric mucosa continued throughout pregnancy and reached maximal values after the second week of lactation and waned thereafter; the maximal changes obtained for individual observations such as surface area and the total parietal and total peptic cell populations represented increases of the order of 40% above corresponding control values.

4. From the observations that were made on food intake it seemed unlikely that the hyperplasia of the gastric mucosa was due to hyperphagia. It also seemed unlikely that the effect could be accounted for by the increase that occurred in body weight during pregnancy.

Full text

PDF
195

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. ANDERSON R. R., TURNER C. W. Feed consumption during lactation and involution in Sprague-Dawley-Rolfsmeyer rats. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1963 Jun;113:334–336. doi: 10.3181/00379727-113-28359. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BATES R. W., MILKOVIC S., GARRISON M. M. EFFECTS OF PROLACTIN, GROWTH HORMONE AND ACTH, ALONE AND IN COMBINATION, UPON ORGAN WEIGHTS AND ADRENAL FUNCTION IN NORMAL RATS. Endocrinology. 1964 May;74:714–723. doi: 10.1210/endo-74-5-714. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. BATES R. W., MILLER R. A., GARRISON M. M. Evidence in the hypophysectomized pigeon of a synergism among prolactin, growth hormone, thyroxine and prednisone upon weight of the body, digestive tract, kidney and fat stores. Endocrinology. 1962 Sep;71:345–360. doi: 10.1210/endo-71-3-345. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. BULLOUGH W. S. The control of mitotic activity in adult mammalian tissues. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc. 1962 Aug;37:307–342. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-185x.1962.tb01615.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Bralow S. P., Brown M., Gruenstein M., Shimkin M. B. Effect of N,N'-2,7-fluorenylenebisacetamide and N-2-fluorenylacetamide on gastric secretion and cell population in rats. Gastroenterology. 1967 Nov;53(5):719–730. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. CAMPBELL R. M., FELL B. F. GASTRO-INTESTINAL HYPERTROPHY IN THE LACTATING RAT AND ITS RELATION TO FOOD INTAKE. J Physiol. 1964 May;171:90–97. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1964.sp007363. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. CAMPBELL R. M., INNES I. R., KOSTERLITZ H. W. The role of hormonal and dietary factors in the formation of excess ribonucleic acid in the livers of pregnant rats. J Endocrinol. 1953 Jan;9(1):52–67. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.0090052. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. CARD W. I., MARKS I. N. The relationship between the acid output of the stomach following "maximal" histamine stimulation and the parietal cell mass. Clin Sci. 1960 Feb;19:147–163. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. CLARK D. H. Peptic ulcer in women. Br Med J. 1953 Jun 6;1(4822):1254–1257. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.4822.1254. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. CREAN G. P. THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM AND THE STOMACH. Vitam Horm. 1963;21:215–280. doi: 10.1016/s0083-6729(08)60242-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Crean G. P. Effect of hypophysectomy on the gastric mucosa of the rat. Gut. 1968 Jun;9(3):332–342. doi: 10.1136/gut.9.3.332. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Crean G. P., Hogg D. F., Rumsey R. D. Hyperplasia of the gastric mucosa produced by duodenal obstruction. Gastroenterology. 1969 Feb;56(2):193–199. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Crean G. P., Marshall M. W., Rumsey R. D. Parietal cell hyperplasia induced by the administration of pentagastrin (ICI 50,123) to rats. Gastroenterology. 1969 Aug;57(2):147–155. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Crean G. P. The effects of hydrocortisone and ACTH on the gastric mucosa of the rat. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1967;2(4):305–310. doi: 10.3109/00365526709180087. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. FELL B. F., SMITH K. A., CAMPBELL R. M. Hypertrophic and hyperplastic changes in the alimentary canal of the lactating rat. J Pathol Bacteriol. 1963 Jan;85:179–188. doi: 10.1002/path.1700850117. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. FRIEDMAN M. H. F. The response to different regions of the gastrointestinal tract to normal and abnormal stimuli; influence of feeding inert bulk material and of hypophysectomy. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1953 Feb;13(4):1035–1038. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. FRIESEN H. PURIFICATION OF A PLACENTAL FACTOR WITH IMMUNOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL SIMILARITY TO HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE. Endocrinology. 1965 Mar;76:369–381. doi: 10.1210/endo-76-3-369. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. HEROUX O., GRIDGEMAN N. T. The effect of cold acclimation on the size of organs and tissues of the rat, with special reference to modes of expression of results. Can J Biochem Physiol. 1958 Feb;36(2):209–216. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. HOLECKOVA E., FABRY P. Hyperphagia and gastric hypertrophy in rats adapted to intermittent starvation. Br J Nutr. 1959;13:260–266. doi: 10.1079/bjn19590036. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. HUNT T. E., HUNT E. A. Radioautographic study of proliferation in the stomach of the rat using thymidine-H3 and compound 48/80. Anat Rec. 1962 Apr;142:505–517. doi: 10.1002/ar.1091420408. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. JOSIMOVICH J. B., MACLAREN J. A. Presence in the human placenta and term serum of a highly lactogenic substance immunologically related to pituitary growth hormone. Endocrinology. 1962 Aug;71:209–220. doi: 10.1210/endo-71-2-209. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. KAHLSON G., LILJA B., SVENSSON S. E. PHYSIOLOGICAL PROTECTION AGAINST GASTRIC ULCERATION DURING PREGNANCY AND LACTATION IN THE RAT. Lancet. 1964 Dec 12;2(7372):1269–1272. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(64)92739-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. KAPLAN S. L., GRUMBACH M. M. STUDIES OF A HUMAN AND SIMIAN PLACENTAL HORMONE WITH GROWTH HORMONE-LIKE AND PROLACTIN-LIKE ACTIVITIES. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1964 Jan;24:80–100. doi: 10.1210/jcem-24-1-80. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. KENNEDY G. C., PEARCE W. M., PARROTT D. M. Liver growth in the lactating rat. J Endocrinol. 1958 Jul;17(2):158–160. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.0170158. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. LEVIN R. J., SMYTH D. H. THE EFFECT OF THE THYROID GLAND ON INTESTINAL ABSORPTION OF HEXOSES. J Physiol. 1963 Dec;169:755–769. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1963.sp007294. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Lilja B., Svensson S. E. Gastric secretion during pregnancy and lactation in the rat. J Physiol. 1967 May;190(2):261–272. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1967.sp008206. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Long J. F. Relationship of gastric secretion to food intake in lactating rats. Am J Physiol. 1969 Jul;217(1):228–232. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1969.217.1.228. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. MAYER J., YANNONI C. Z. Increased intestinal absorption of glucose in three forms of obesity in the mouse. Am J Physiol. 1956 Apr;185(1):49–53. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1956.185.1.49. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Ragins H., Wincze F., Liu S. M., Dittbrenner M. Theorigin and survival of gastric parietal cells in the mouse. Anat Rec. 1968 Sep;162(1):99–110. doi: 10.1002/ar.1091620109. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Spencer R. P. Relative change in gastrointestinal weight during lactation. Am J Dig Dis. 1967 May;12(5):527–528. doi: 10.1007/BF02233186. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. WIERDA J. L. A comparison of the weight of the intestine with the body and kidney weights in rats which were fed artificial, unbalanced diets. Anat Rec. 1950 Jul;107(3):221–233. doi: 10.1002/ar.1091070302. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Physiology are provided here courtesy of The Physiological Society

RESOURCES