Small intestine biopotentials in rats after hypokinesia

To study the effect of hypokinesia on rats small intestine (jejunum and ileum) biopotentials it was first necessary to characterize it. Biopotentials were recorded by intracellular placed microelectrodes from oral and caudal segments of the small intestine. The character of rats small intestine biopotentials differs from that of other species (man, cat, rabbit, dog, e.a.), the slow waves (SW) being smaller and the frequency of basal electrical rhythm higher (31.23 c/min orally and 24.50 caudally). Spike potentials are inscribed on the descending slope of SW but frequently delayed in each successive wave with a regular interval. Hypokinesia obtained by keeping rats in small cages for two weeks create only little changes in intestine biopotentials. The only clear difference was the increase of the slow waves amplitude. The other parameters were not specifically changed.