Effect of prenatal and neonatal pantothenic acid deficiency on rat intestinal phosphatases

Summary Alkaline phosphatase activity was increased in the distal part of the small intestine of pantothenic acid deficient neonatal rats, while acid phosphatase activity was slightly increased and protein concentration was decreased throughout the small intestine. The growth and maturation of the distal part of the small intestine were retarded more severely than in the proximal part.     

Acid phosphatase activity of small intestine of mice after exposure to different doses of gamma rays

Summary Effect of whole-body radiation at 3 different dose levels on the activity of acid phosphatase was studied in the small intestine of Swiss albino mice. In all the 3 exposure groups the enzyme activity increased significantly at 24 h after irradiation; the time at which the maximum histological damage was seen. With the beginning of recovery the enzyme tended to decrease and gradually approached control values.     

Differential developmental pattern of acid and alkaline phytase and phosphatase activities in rat intestine

Summary Rat intestine was found to show a distinct acid phytase activity (pH optimum 4.7) in addition to that of an alkaline phytase (pH optimum 8.0). The phytase and phosphatase activities were found to differ in their developmental pattern and responded differentially to some inhibitors. Thus the two activities seem to be due to two independent enzymes and are not the activity of a nonspecific phosphatase as has been suspected formerly.     

Differential developmental pattern of acid and alkaline phytase and phosphatase activities in rat intestine.

Rat intestine was found to show a distinct acid phytase activity (pH optimum 4.7) in addition to that of an alkaline phytase (pH optimum 8.0). The phytase and phosphatase activities were found to differ in their developmental pattern and responded differentially to some inhibitors. Thus the two activities seem to be due to two independent enzymes and are not the activity of a nonspecific phosphatase as has been suspected formerly.     

Effect of pancreatic secretions upon ileal disaccharidase activities of neonatal miniature pigs

Mechanisms by which pancreatic secretions influence disaccharidase activities in the distal small intestine have been investigated in 1-week-old miniature pigs. Using a combination of biochemical, cytochemical and morphological techniques it has been found that the decrease in lactase specific activity is due solely to a reduction in villus surface area. By contrast, the increased sucrase-isomaltase activities, which occur despite the reduction in villus surface area, are due entirely to increased enzyme expression during enterocyte differentiation.     

Effect of pancreatic secretions upon ileal disaccharidase activities of neonatal miniature pigs

Summary Mechanisms by which pancreatic secretions influence disaccharidase activities in the distal small intestine have been investigated in 1-week-old miniature pigs. Using a combination of biochemical, cytochemical and morphological techniques it has been found that the decrease in lactase specific activity is due solely to a reduction in villus surface area. By contrast, the increased sucrase-isomaltase activities, which occur despite the reduction in villus surface area, are due entirely to increased enzyme expression during enterocyte differentiation.     

Effect of chronic hypo and hypervitaminosis C on the brush border enzymes and the intestinal uptake of glucose and alanine

Summary Brush border sucrase and alkaline phosphatase activities are considerably enhanced in the intestine of ascorbic acid deficient guinea-pigs. Similar increase in the uptake of D-glucose and L-alanine also occurs in chronic vitamin C deficiency. However the permeability of D-glucose and L-alanine in the intestine of animals fed with large doses of vitamin C is severely depressed, with a reduction in the levels of sucrase and alkaline phosphatase activities.     

Effect of chronic hypo and hypervitaminosis C on the brush border enzymes and the intestinal uptake of glucose and alanine.

Brush border sucrase and alkaline phosphatase activities are considerably enhanced in the intestine of ascorbic acid deficient guinea-pigs. Similar increase in the uptake of D-glucose and L-alanine also occurs in chronic vitamin C deficiency. However the permeability of D-glucose and L-alanine in the intestine of animals fed with large doses of vitamin C is severely depressed, with a reduction in the levels of sucrase and alkaline phosphatase activities.     

Acid and alkaline phosphatase heterogeneity in liver,heart and intestine of the adult chick

Summary The molecular heterogeneity of acid and alkaline phosphatase from chick liver, intestine and heart is demonstrated by polyacrilamide disc gel electrophoresis. Liver and heart show the same number of molecular forms of acid and alkaline phosphatases. In contrast, the intestine homogenate shows electrophoretic bands different in number and in gel position from those of the liver and of the heart.     

Is there a functional large intestine in the ferret?

Summary The intestine of the ferret (Putorius furo) is unusual in that there is no external anatomical division between ileum and colon. Up to 8–10 cm from the anus the electrical activity was organized into migrating myoelectric complexes typical of the small intestine. At this point the pattern of electrical activity changed abruptly to that characteristic of the colon, namely short and long spike burst activity. Histological examination showed that at this point the muscular layers were interupted by a band of connective tissue sufficient to permit the functional autonomy of the last part of the intestine.Acknowledgments. The authors are grateful to V. Rayner for helpful discussion and criticism. They acknowledge financial support received from INRA (Department of Veterinary Research).     

Effect of epidermal growth factor on growth and maturation of fetal and neonatal rat small intestine in organ culture

Small intestinal explants from pre- and post-natal rats were incubated in an organ culture system in the absence and presence of epidermal growth factor (EGF). The rate of synthesis of small intestinal DNA and protein as well as the activity of lactase and alkaline phosphatase increased rapidly between 17 and 20-day gestational age, whereafter they declined. The maximal incorporation of 3H-thymidine and 14C-alanine into DNA and protein, respectively, was significantly stimulated by EGF (100 ng/ml). EGF had no effect on the activity of either lactase or alkaline phosphatase in the small intestinal explants.     

Enzyme activities of a cold-resistant L cell variant

Summary Resistance of mouse L cells to cold increased the activity of nonspecific esterase, acid phosphatase and adenosine triphosphatase, but did not influence the activity of succinate dehydrogenase.     

Morphological appearance of fat in the epithelial cells of different portions of the intestines in mice

Summary Absorption of administered fat in the small intestine of mice as judged morphologically in semi-thin sections demonstrates a proximal to distal gradient, being greatest in the mid-jejunal area, but less in the duodenum and ileum. The criterion of the amount and size of fat droplets in intestinal cells, however, does not necessarily give a reliable indication of the efficiency of fat absorption in the different segments of intestine.     

A prostaglandin-like activity in small intestine and postirradiation gastrointestional syndrome.

A correlation between the postirradiation increase of the small intestine motility and the prostaglandin-like activity in this organ during gastrointestional syndrome was observed. Indomethacin decreased the elevated motility of intestine and reduced the prostaglandin-like activity in this syndrome.     

A possible genetic component of obesity in childhood. Observations on acid phosphatase polymorphism

Phenotypes of acid phosphatase with low enzymatic activity (ACP1 A and BA) are correlated with the highest degree of body mass increase observed in a sample of obese children. Since acid phosphatase probably functions as a flavin-mononucleotide phosphatase, differential modulation of flavo-enzyme activity and energy metabolism due to acid phosphatase genetic variability may explain the observed association.     

Phosphomonoesterases in the 2 sexes of the root-knot nematode,Meloidogyne lucknowica Singh, 1969

Summary The 2 phosphomonoesterases of the root-knot nematode were colorimetrically determined. Alkaline phosphatase activity was observed to be lower than the acid phosphatase activity. Sex related trends were clearly seen in the enzyme levels of the 2 sexes of thenematode. Alkaline phosphatase level differed 28.76%, while acid phosphatase level differed 60.36% in the 2 sexes.The authors are grateful to the Council of Science and Technology U.P. for the grant of a Research Scheme for these studies.     

A possible genetic component of obesity in childhood. Observations on acid phosphatase polymorphism

Summary Phenotypes of acid phosphatase with low enzymatic activity (ACP₁ A and BA) are correlated with the highest degree of body mass increase observed in a sample of obese children. Since acid phosphatase probably functions as a flavin-mononucleotide phosphatase, differential modulation of flavo-enzyme activity and energy metabolism due to acid phosphatase genetic variability may explain the observed association.     

A prostaglandin-like activity in small intestine and postirradiation gastrointestinal syndrome

Summary A correlation between the postirradiation increase of the small intestine motility and the prostaglandin-like activity in this organ during gastrointestinal syndrome was observed. Indomethacin decreased the elevated motility of intestine and reduced the prostaglandin-like activity in this syndrome.Acknowledgments. The work was supported by the Polish Academy of Sciences.     

Le fer dans les villosites intestinales du cobaye en carence protidique

Summary During the regression of exocrine pancreas caused by a diet poor in protides, an organic iron compound accumulates at the end of intestinal villi: small granules in the upper part of enterocytes, larger particles in macrophages of the connective axis. Alkaline phosphatase activity disappears from the striated border of the enterocytes concerned.     

Association of Golgi vesicles containing acid phosphatase with the chromatoid body of rat spermatids

The relationship between the Golgi apparatus and the small vesicles associated with the chromatoid body was investigated using a cytochemical technique. It was observed that in early spermatids, when the chromatoid body appears in close contact with the Golgi complex, and all through its migration to the caudal pole of the nucleus, some of the vesicles that accompany the organelle display acid phosphatase activity. It is concluded that these smooth vesicles originate in the Golgi apparatus.