In conclusion, our data shows that CF contributes to the
epithelial growth of the small intestine in piglets independently
of food bioactive components. However, there are
signs showing that digestive products or the absorption
process per se can affect CF, since CF activity is significantly
higher in the proximal part of the intestine where the
abovementioned processes occur. We observed that the rate
of bifid crypts depends predominantly on the age and part of
the intestine. The peak of bifid crypts was observed during the
suckling period, thus CF can be described as a marker for
intestinal growth during the early postnatal period