title: Quantitative study of mucosal structure, enzyme activities and phenylalanine accumulation in jejunal biopsies of patients with early and late onset diabetes.
abstract: A study of the three-dimensional structure of the upper jejunal mucosa in diabetics has been carried out. The structural findings were related to 14C-L-phenylalanine uptake in vitro, sucrase activity in mucosal homogenates, and the enzyme content of the absorptive cells as measured cytophotometrically. A low grade mucosal transformation of the sprue-type was found, which was associated with decreased sucrase activity, and with no reduction in phenylalanine accumulation. On the other hand the specific activities of alkaline phosphatase, non-specific esterase, and succinic dehydrogenase in the surface cells remained unchanged.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010649:Phenylalanine / Q000378:metabolism*; D013393:Sucrase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010649:Phenylalanine; D013393:Sucrase