Functional and Allometric Descriptions of the Liver and Small Intestine in Genetically Obese Mice

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Abstract
To assess intestinal activity in mice with the hereditary obese hyperglycemic syndrome, the small gut was studied by means of histochemistry, as well as the transport of 10-3M glucose and 5 × 10-6M L-methionine against a concentration gradient in vitro. In addition, the weight of the intestine was determined at nine and eleven weeks of age. There was no difference in the histochemical reactions of the gut between affected animals and their normal littermates. There was also no impairment of in vitro transport of the 2 nutrients. While the small gut of the obese animals weighed more than that of controls, the weight was correctly predicted by the allometric relationship on the basis of their increased body weight. The weight of the liver in the hereditary obese hyperglycemic mice was considerably greater than predicted by the allometric relationship.