EGF and serum lipopolysaccharide activity: When the liver is subjected to an experimental physical or a chemical injury, gut-derived LPS will pass through the compromised liver and spill into the general circulation, leading to low-grade systemic endotoxemia, which elicits hepatotrophic factors production, such as insulin, glucagon, epidermal growth factor (EGF), vasopressin and triiodothyronine (T3) (6, 52).