Glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) promotes nutrient absorption via expansion of the mucosal epithelium by stimulation of crypt cell proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis in the small intestine. It also reduces epithelial permeability, and decreases meal-stimulated gastric acid secretion and gastrointestinal motility. GLP-2 promotes the expansion of the intestinal epithelium through stimulation of the GLP-2 receptor, a member of the glucagon-secretin G protein-coupled receptor superfamily.