The vascularly and luminally perfused small intestine in vitro: dissection technique and model system

The quantitative study in vitro of a wide range of intestinal functions is best achieved by perfusing the intestine simultaneously by the luminal and vascular routes. A comprehensive description is given of the dissections involved in preparing a selected segment of jejunum for such simultaneous perfusions. Attention is drawn to a number of occasional aberrant vascular structures which require special attention if successful perfusions are to be established. It is essential to restore the ATP and diphosphoglycerate concentrations of erythrocytes, and to assess their deformability, before incorporating them in the vascular perfusion medium. The perfusion equipment, the perfusion media and the general conduct of a perfusion experiment, are described.