CD44, the classical hyaluronan receptor, was transcriptionally induced within the muscularis of the small and large intestines by surgical manipulation of the gastrointestinal tract. CD44 mRNA levels were significantly increased rapidly within 3 hours, peaked at 6 hours and wane but remained elevated through 24 hours in the small intestinal muscularis externa. Colonic muscularis CD44 mRNA was also postoperatively rapidly induced at 3 and gradually declined, but remained elevated through 24 hours postoperatively (N=6, p ≤ 0.05, one-way ANOVA with posthoc Bonferoni analysis).