Substitutes for glutamine in proliferation of rat intestinal epithelial cells.

Objectives: Glutamine (Gln) is important for intestinal epithelial proliferation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether glutamate (Glu), a mixture of nucleotide monophosphates, arginine, or glucosamine could support proliferation of rat intestinal crypt cells (IEC-6) in the absence of Gln.

Methods: Glu with added ammonia acetate, glucosamine, arginine, and nucleotide monophosphates were tested at concentrations that were isonitrogenous with respect to Gln.