Normal rats that have normal BGL, body weight gain and acid secretory activity showed spontaneous healing of HCl-induced gastric lesions with concomitant increase of bFGF in the mucosa. In STZ-diabetic rats that show increased BGL and decreased body weight, the healing of gastric lesions was impaired in association with decreased expression of bFGF. Insulin treatment recovered these changes observed in STZ-diabetic rats, except the decrease of body weight, although rhbFGF recovered the impaired healing response in STZ-diabetic rats, without any effect on the increased BGL, body weight loss or acid secretion. Acid secretion* was determined in the stomach after HCl injury, although acid secretion† was measured in intact stomachs without HCl injury. NT, Not tested.