The role of bile and pancreatic juice in the absorption of fat in ewes and lambs

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Abstract
The role of bile and pancreatic juice in fat absorption in ewes and lambs has been investigated. Chronic fistulas of the bile and pancreatic ducts were established in ewes and lambs and the absorption of chaff lipids, maize oil and tri[I-14C]palmitin into the intestinal lymph was studied. Factors affecting hydrolysis of triglycerides by sheep pancreatic lipase have also been studied in in vitro experiments. In vitro, the optimum pH for the hydrolysis of triglycerides of long-chain fatty acids by sheep pancreatic lipase was about 7.8. Appreciable hydrolysis occurred over the range of pH values found in the small intestine of sheep. The liberation of free fatty acids from triglycerides by sheep pancreatic juice in vitro was increased in the presence of calcium ions and bile. When sheep were deprived of bile, the concentrations of lipid in the intestinal lymph fell rapidly and within 10 h were less than the plasma concentrations. The content of lipid in the intestinal lymph of lambs deprived of bile also decreased but remained higher than in the plasma. In sheep and lambs deprived of pancreatic juice, the content of lipid in the intestinal lymph was much lower than in normal sheep and lambs. The absorption of maize oil and also of tri[I-14c]palmitin was reduced in sheep and lambs deprived of pancreatic juice and in lambs deprived of bile. No tri[I-14C]-palmitin was absorbed in sheep deprived of bile.

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