1.   Invitro, high extracellular calcium concentrations inhibit the proliferation of human colonic epithelial cells and several colonic cancer cell lines.

2.   In the past, autoantibodies that have been most consistently detected in inflammatory bowel disease are those reactive to colonic cells and lymphocytes.

3.   These hydrophobic surfactantsmay damage colonic epithelial cells and consequently stimulate the proliferation of colonic crypt cells, which may increase the risk of colon cancer.

4.   These cytokines may affect the functions of immunocompetent cells to induce colonic injury or induce the lysis of colonic epithelial cells directly.

5.   The results in our study, however, indicate that TNF- does not participate in anticolon ADCC mechanisms to kill colonic epithelial cells.

6.   In vitro, high extracellular calcium concentrations inhibit the proliferation of human colonic epithelial cells and several colonic cancer cell lines.

7.   Supplementary dietary calcium has been shown in some studies to reduce colonic cell proliferation in man.