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Updated: Feb 16, 2026

Using Caco-2 Cells to Study Lipid Transport by the Intestine
Published on: August 20, 2015
Closed-Loop Doluisio (Colon, Small Intestine) and Single-Pass Intestinal Perfusion (Colon, Jejunum) in
Isabel Lozoya-Agullo1,2, Isabel Gonzalez-Alvarez1, Moran Zur3
1Pharmacokinetics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Miguel Hernandez University, Alicante, Spain.
Purpose:
The effective rat intestinal permeability (P eff ) was deconvolved using a biophysical model based on parameterized paracellular, aqueous boundary layer, transcellular permeabilities, and the villus-fold surface area expansion factor.
Methods:
Four types of rat intestinal perfusion data were considered: single-pass intestinal perfusion (SPIP) in the jejunum (n = 40), and colon (n = 15), closed-loop (Doluisio type) in the small intestine (n = 78), and colon (n = 74). Moreover, in vitro Caco-2 permeability values were used to predict rat in vivo values in the rat data studied.
Results:
Comparable number of molecules permeate via paracellular water channels as by the lipoidal transcellular route in the SPIP method, although in the closed-loop method, the paracellular route appears dominant in the colon. The aqueous boundary layer thickness in the small intestine is comparable to that found in unstirred in vitro monolayer assays; it is thinner in the colon. The mucosal surface area in anaesthetized rats is 0.96-1.4 times the smooth cylinder calculated value in the colon, and it is 3.1-3.6 times in the small intestine. The paracellular permeability of the intestine appeared to be greater in rat than human, with the colon showing more leakiness (higher P para ) than the small intestine.
Conclusion:
Based on log intrinsic permeability values, the correlations between the in vitro and in vivo models ranged from r2 0.82 to 0.92. The SPIP-Doluisio method comparison indicated identical log permeability selectivity trend with negligible bias.
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