Sulfate Metabolism in the Intestinal Mucosa of Weanling and Adult Rats

Abstract
Sulfate metabolism in homogenates of rat intestinal mucosa was investigated in the jejunal and ileal segments. Direct comparisons were made between activities of homogenates of adult (43-day-old) and suckling (13-day-old) rats. The hydrolysis of p-nitrocatechol sulfate or p-nitrophenyl sulfate proceeded most rapidly in incubation mixtures which contained homogenates of ileal mucosa from 13-day-old rats. Sulfokinase activity was highest in homogenates of jejunal segments from suckling animals. In both cases the differences were marked, and may suggest important developmental changes in physiological function of these 2 segments of the gastrointestinal tract.