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Physiology of the Gastrointestinal Tract in Newborns

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Neonatology

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Abstract

The chapter will discuss the different elements of the developmental physiology of the gastrointestinal tract, including organogenesis, vascularization, neural control, and host defense mechanisms. The development of gastrointestinal motility and of the digestive and absorptive functions and how they relate to feeding and nutrition of the preterm and term neonates will be outlined. Aspects of morphology, physiology, and biochemistry of the developing gastrointestinal tract as well as more recent findings at the molecular biology level will be discussed. Application of this basic knowledge on intestinal functional development should be used in order to improve nutrition for preterm infants and prevent short- and long-term morbidities that may be related to inadequate or poor feeding and nutrition:

  1. (A)

    Development of the gastrointestinal tract – organogenesis and function

  2. (B)

    Vascularization

  3. (C)

    Neural control of motor function and gastrointestinal motility

  4. (D)

    Digestion and absorption

  5. (E)

    Host defense

  6. (F)

    Gastrointestinal hormones and peptides (These are discussed in Chap. 35, “Hormones and Gastrointestinal Function of Newborns”)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neonatology, Bnai Zion Medical Center, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel

    Arieh Riskin

  2. Pediatric Clinic, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan Fondazione, IRCCS Ca Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy

    Carlo Agostoni

  3. Institute of Gastroenterology Nutrition and Liver Diseases, Schneider Children’s Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Petach-Tikva, Israel

    Raanan Shamir

Authors
  1. Arieh Riskin
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  2. Carlo Agostoni
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  3. Raanan Shamir
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Correspondence to Arieh Riskin .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy

    Giuseppe Buonocore

  2. Department of Pediatrics Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy

    Rodolfo Bracci

  3. Liverpool Women’s Hospital Neonatal Unit, Liverpool, UK

    Michael Weindling

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Riskin, A., Agostoni, C., Shamir, R. (2018). Physiology of the Gastrointestinal Tract in Newborns. In: Buonocore, G., Bracci, R., Weindling, M. (eds) Neonatology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29489-6_183

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