Changes in Total Nitrogen Content of Some Abdominal Viscera in Fasting and Realimentation

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Total N was determined in stomach, pancreas, small gut and liver of rats after 24, 48, 96 and 192 hours of fasting. After 192 hours of fasting the greatest loss of N (54%) occurred in the small gut and the smallest loss (9%) occurred in the stomach. Identical determinations were made after feeding a nonprotein diet for the same intervals plus another of 384 hours. The small intestine in 192 hours lost less N (24%) than in fasting and the stomach lost more (24%). In pancreas and liver the differences between fasting and feeding non-protein diet were not so pronounced. Realimentation always brought prompt and complete recovery of N content of the small gut. Stomach and pancreas either lost more N or failed to gain in 24 hours of refeeding. Liver began to recover promptly but not as rapidly as the small gut. The data suggest that the small intestine during absorption withdraws amino acids directly for its own replenishment and transports the excess into portal blood from which the liver has the next opportunity to withdraw amino acids. The stomach and pancreas, being dependent on the systemic circulation for their supply of amino acids, are the slowest to recover their stores of N.

This publication has 6 references indexed in Scilit: