Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2026

Applying Advanced In Vitro Culturing Technology to Study the Human Gut Microbiota
Published on: February 15, 2019
In vivo and in vitro starch digestion: are current in vitro techniques adequate?
Jovin Hasjim1, Gautier Cesbron Lavau, Michael J Gidley
1The University of Queensland, Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
Abstract:
The time evolution of the size distributions of (fully branched and debranched) starch molecules during in vivo and in vitro digestion was analyzed using size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and compared. In vivo digesta were collected from the small intestine of pigs fed with raw normal maize starch; in vitro digestion was carried out on the same diet fed to the pigs using a method simulating digestion in the mouth, stomach, and small intestine. A qualitative difference was observed between the in vitro and the in vivo digestion. The former showed a degradation of starch molecules to a more uniform size, whereas the in vivo digestion preserved the size distribution of native starch before producing a multimodal distribution, the heterogeneous nature of which current in vitro methods do not reproduce. The use of in vitro digestion to infer in vivo digestion patterns and, hence, potential nutrition benefits need to take account of this phenomenon.
Related Concept Videos
Methods for Studying Drug Absorption: In vitro
The diffusion cell method uses a two-compartment cell, including a donor compartment with the drug solution, which simulates the environment where the drug is applied, and a receptor compartment with a buffer solution, which simulates the environment...
Methods for Studying Drug Absorption: In situ
The Doluisio method involves perfusing a prepared segment of a rat's small intestine with a solution of radiolabeled drug and a non-absorbable marker. This helps to differentiate between absorbed and non-absorbed drug concentrations. The intestinal segment is connected at both ends using tubing and syringes,...
Carbohydrate Digestion
In Vitro Drug Dissolution: Alternative Methods
Mechanical and Chemical Digestion in the Small Intestine
Mechanical digestion in the small intestine involves movements such as segmentations and migrating motility complexes (MMCs), primarily controlled by the myenteric plexus. Segmentations are localized contractions occurring in areas of the intestine distended by chyme—a mixture of partially digested food. These contractions mix chyme with digestive juices, facilitating absorption...
In Vitro Drug Dissolution: Compendial Testing Models I

