Transport of sodium fluorescein between the mucosal and muscular layers in man, possibly indicating functional serially-coupled exchange vessels.
In sixteen patients subjected to intestinal surgery, the transport of sodium fluorescein (Na-F) was measured between the mucosal and serosal-muscular layers. Experiments were carried out in intestinal anastomosis by fluorescein flowmetry (FF). The blood-flow index of the mucosal layer was about twice the serosal-muscularis, per unit tissue volume. The temporal changes in fluorescence pattern from the two layers showed that more than 90% of Na-F, eliminated from the mucosal layer, was transported to the serosal-muscular layers. In six patients, in whom Na-F was instilled intraluminarily, fluorescence was seen on the outside of the intestine after 3 min. However, when the circulation was stopped before Na-F was instilled, no fluorescence was seen, this suggests that the transport was not only due to diffusion but also to convection. The results suggest that functional serially-coupled exchange vessels may exist within the intestinal wall, and that Na-F is transported both by convection and diffusion.
D001692:Biological Transport; D004058:Diffusion; D019793:Fluorescein; D005452:Fluoresceins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D007422:Intestines / Q000098:blood supply
D005452:Fluoresceins; D019793:Fluorescein