Effects of Whole-Body Irradiation on the Transfer Capacity of Rat Small Intestine

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Abstract
Intestinal transfer of glucose and fluid was studied in sacs of everted intestine made from rats that had received whole-body irradiation. For this purpose the combined jejunum and ileum was divided into 5 parts, and the 3rd and 5th segments were used. The effects can be divided into (1) indirect effects due to diminished presentation of food to the epithelial cells and (2) direct effects due to irradiation changes in the cells. Both direct and indirect effects reduced the transfer capacity of the intestine. In the 3rd segment the capacity for transfer of both glucose and fluid was reduced. The time course of the indirect effects was the same in the 3rd and 5th sacs. These effects were seen best on the 2nd day after irradiation. The direct effects varied in the 3rd and 5th segments. In the 3rd segment the greatest effects appeared on the 3rd day after irradiation, whereas in the 5th segment the greater effects appeared on the 2nd day. The difference in the time relationships of the effects of irradiation in different parts of the intestine may reflect differences in the kinetics of the cell population in the jejunum and ileum.