THE ESTERIFICATION OF PALMITATE-1-C14 BY HOMOGENATES OF INTESTINAL MUCOSA*†

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Abstract
Homogenates of rat and human intestinal mucosa actively incorporate palmitate-1-C14 into neutral fat. This requires coenzyme A, adenosine triphosphate and Mg ions. Short chain fatty acids, such as octanoate, are not incorporated by the system. In both human and rat intestinal homogenates, the incorporation was greater with duodenal and jejunal tissue than with ileal or colonic mucosa. The jejunum from patients with idiopathic steatorrhea (adult celiac disease) was found to have a greatly diminished capacity to esterify palmitate-1-C14. It is suggested that a mechanism similar to the one described in vitro is involved in the esterification and absorption of long chain fatty acids in vivo.