Disaccharidase activities in pregnant and lactating rats.
The changes in intestinal disaccharidase activities in pregnancy and lactation could be explained as a result of an adaptation to the energy demands of each reproductive stage. To examine these changes, disaccharidase activities (lactase, sucrase, maltase, and trehalase) were measured in the jejunum and ileum of virgin, pregnant and lactating Wistar rats. Minor changes in disaccharidase activities were observed in pregnancy, whereas an increase of disaccharidase activities per small intestine length normalized to body mass was observed in lactation.
Dept of Fund. Biology and Health Sci., University of Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
R M
RM
Prieto
M
M
Ferrer
J M
JM
Rayó
J A
JA
Tur
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D004186:Disaccharidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D007082:Ileum / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D007422:Intestines / Q000201:enzymology*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D007774:Lactation / Q000378:metabolism*; D008871:Microvilli / Q000201:enzymology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D004186:Disaccharidases