The effect of gastric fundectomy and antrectomy on growth of the exocrine pancreas was studied in hamsters over 5 and 25 d. Sham-operated animals served as controls. After 5 d, basal plasma gastrin concentrations were significantly increased in fundectomized animals (80.3 +/- 20.6 pmol/L) and significantly decreased in antrectomized animals (11.6 +/- 1.1 pmol/L) as compared with the controls (20.0 +/- 1.7 pmol/L). Similar differences were present among the 25-d groups, whereas basal plasma cholecystokinin (CCK) concentrations did not differ significantly between any groups at any time. At 5 d after fundectomy, there was a significant increase in pancreatic tissue [3H]-thymidine uptake and total DNA content, both of which were reduced 5 d after antrectomy. Autoradiography showed significantly increased [3H]-thymidine labeling index of acinar, intralobular duct, and centroacinar cells of the pancreas at 5 d after fundectomy. The increased intralobular duct cell labeling index persisted 25 d after fundectomy. Labeling indexes after antrectomy did not differ significantly from those in the controls, although antrectomized animals had the lowest values in all three cell compartments at 25 d. At 25 d, pancreatic wet wt and total DNA and protein content were significantly increased after fundectomy and significantly reduced after antrectomy. These findings indicate that fundectomy in the hamster induces pancreatic exocrine tissue hyperplasia and hypertrophy, whereas antrectomy leads to retardation of pancreatic growth.