THE EFFECT OF pH ON THE ABSORPTION OF SUGARS

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Abstract
In 52 exps. in which the gut and blood vessels supplying it were perfused separately, the former with isotonic glucose soln., the latter with Ringer soln., the circulatory rate being kept constant, the influence of the pH on sugar absorption was studied. Changes in pH to either side in the perfusion fluid of the blood vessels cause a reversible increase in glucose absorption. The threshold sensitivity lies at ca. 0.1 pH on the acid side and 0.2 on the alkaline side. CO2 also increases glucose absorption. The range of pH sensitivity is similar to that with phosphate buffers. If the gut is perfused with phosphate buffered glucose solns., small alterations in its pH bring about changes in glucose absorption similar to those after changes in pH without phosphate buffering. They are due to changes in the pH on the blood vessel side. If, however, the gut is perfused with unbuffered solns. of various pH, comparatively large changes in pH (differences of 1 unit) bring about only slight changes in sugar absorption, though the pH in the perfusion fluid of the blood vessels remains unchanged. Exps. carried out with xylose absorption under similar conditions lead to the same results. This indicates that changes in pH bring about alterations in gut permeability which are not due to interference with intermediary chemical processes involved in the glucose absorption.

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