In Vitro Absorption of Radioiron by Everted Pouches of Rat Intestine

¹ From the Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri

Everted pouches of rat intestine prepared by the technique of Wilson and associates were used to measure absorption of radioiron. Iron was taken up equally well in vitro by all segments of the rat's small intestine; but when the iron was given orally in vivo, a distinct gradient, highest in the duodenum and progressively smaller in the distal segments was demonstrated. There was little transfer into the inner serosal pouch. Transfer of iron in this preparation was by a process of passive transport. It was not appreciably affected by changes in pH, various metabolic inhibitors, buffer systems, or added substrates. Ferrous iron was significantly better taken up by the intestinal tissue, but transfer into the inner pouch fluid was greater with ferric iron.