Ontogeny of intestinal nutrient transport

Children born prematurely lack the ability to digest and to absorb nutrients at rates compatible with their nutritional needs. As a result, total parenteral nutrition may need to be given. While this nutritional support may be life-saving, the baby who receives this therapy is exposed to the risks of possible sepsis, catheter dysfunction, and liver disease. The rodent model of postnatal development provides a useful framework to investigate some of the cellular features of human intestinal development. The up-regulation of intestinal gene expression and precocious development of intestinal nutrient absorption can be achieved by providing growth factor(s) or by modifying the composition of the maternal diet during pregnancy and nursing or the weaning diet of the infant. Accelerating the digestive and absorptive functions of the intestine would thereby allow for the maintenance of infant nutrition through oral food intake, and might possibly eliminate the need for, and risks of, total parenteral nutrition. ...