Calcium transport in small intestine during early development: role of vitamin D

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Abstract
To define the role of vitamin D in Ca transport in the intestine during early development, female weanling rats were placed on vitamin D-replete or vitamin D-deficient diets, grown to maturity and mated with normal males. Pups born to vitamin D-replete and vitamin D-deficient mothers were killed at various times after parturition, and Ca transport in the small intestine as well as the concentrations of Ca and phosphate in the plasma were measured. Transport of Ca in pups from vitamin D-replete and vitamin D-deficient litters was identical at 3 and 14 days postpartum but was 3-fold greater in pups from vitamin D-replete litters at weaning and 3 wk postweaning. 1,25-Dihydroxy-vitamin D had no effect on Ca transport at 14 days postpartum but did induce transport at weaning. Plasma concentrations of Ca at 3 days postpartum were nearly normal but decreased during the suckling period from 10.3 mg/100 ml to 7.2 mg/100 ml in vitamin D-deficient rats. Ca transport in the intestine during early development apparently is not mediated by vitamin D; a vitamin D-sensitive transport system develops late in the suckling period.