Publisher's Synopsis
Growth and function of the gastrointestinal tract are highly dependent on specific interactions of regulatory gut peptides (RGP) with their target tissues. This volume compiles state-of-the-art reviews on the existence, the cellular mechanisms of action and the biological functions of these peptides as well as their significance in health and disease during the paediatric period. The opening section of the book provides an overview of the distribution, biochemistry and physiology of RGP.;The second section relates specific functions of the normal gastrointestinal tract, such as transit, digestion, absorption and secretion, to the action of RGP and summarizes what is actually known about these functions in normal children. The impact of RGP on growth and nutrition in the normal child as well as the influence of feeding on their release is dealt with in the third section. The final section extensively discusses the significance of RGP for paediatric gastrointestinal diseases and gives an outlook on the now rapidly emerging therapeutic potential of this class of compounds.
