The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word VILLUS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
V
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L
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "intestinal growth" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case intestinal growth = villus.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does VILLUS mean?
VILLUS noun- A small projection from a membrane, particularly those found in the mucous membranes of the intestines.
- One of the fine soft hairs on fruits, flowers, and other parts of plants.