Vol. 275, Issue 3, R897-R904, September 1998
Ontogenetic and regional changes in
-methyl-D-glucoside and
L-proline intestinal transport
in guinea pig
M. Emília
Juan,
M. Carmen
Turmo, and
Joana M.
Planas
Grup de Transport Intestinal, Departament de
Fisiologia-Divisió IV, Facultat de Farmàcia,
Universitat de Barcelona, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
Regional brush-border uptakes of
-methyl-D-glucose and
L-proline as well as
morphometric parameters were studied from birth until adulthood in
guinea pig small intestine. Intestinal weight, length, and area were
fitted to two-segmented straight lines: from birth until the 2nd wk
there was a sharp rise, whereas from day
14 to the adult stage the increase was
slower. In everted sleeves, total uptakes of
-methyl-D-glucoside were
higher on day
1 in duodenum, jejunum, and ileum,
diminishing with increasing age. The initial fluxes of
L-proline were higher during the
1st wk, diminishing to values that kept constant thereafter. Total uptakes of L-proline relative to
-methyl-D-glucoside showed a peak in the 1st wk in the three segments studied, reflecting the high
demand for protein during the postnatal period. Regional ratios of
L-proline to
-methyl-D-glucoside indicated
that the ileum is the segment best suited to transporting this amino
acid during the first 3 wk. Changes observed in the present study
indicated a different pattern between hexose and amino acid transport
during development and along the small intestine of guinea pig.
sugar uptake; amino acid uptake; development; small intestine
