The influence of blood flow and water net flux on the absorption of tritiated water from the jejunum of the rat.

TLDR: The appearance rate was almost completely determined by the blood flow indicating that the intestinal absorption of tritiated water is blood flow limited, which characterizes badly the diffusive water permeability of the intestinal epithelium.

Abstract: 1. Jejunal loops of anaesthetized rats were perfused with hypo-, iso-, and hypertonic buffered solutions containing tritiated water. The blood flow, the disapperance rate (from the intestinal lumen), and the appearance rate (in the intestinal venous blood) were determined simultaneously. 2. A decrease of the blood flow from about 1.7 to 0.2 ml min−1g−1 wet tissue weight diminished the appearance and disappearance rate of tritiated water. An increase of the blood flow caused the reversed results. The appearance rate was almost completely determined by the blood flow indicating that the intestinal absorption of tritiated water is blood flow limited. Therefore the absorption rate of tritiated water characterizes badly the diffusive water permeability of the intestinal epithelium. 3. A water net flux directed towards the blood accelerated and towards the intestinal lumen retarded the intestinal absorption of tritiated water at low, intermediate, and high blood flow values. 4. The data were analysed by a modified four-compartment-model considering the variation of blood flow and water net flux. The water net flux influences the absorption of tritiated water during the penetration through the epithelium by solvent drag (sieving coefficient 1-σ=1.54±0.19) as well as by changing the blood flow rate through capillaries near the epithelium.