Intestinal stem cells promote crypt fission during postnatal growth of the small intestine.

Objective: Wnt-β-catenin signalling is essential for intestinal stem cells. Our aim was to investigate the relationship between intestinal stem cells and crypt fission which peaks during infancy.

Design: Duodenal biopsies were obtained during endoscopy to assess the severity of reflux oesophagitis of 15 infants, children and teenagers, which would not affect the duodenum.