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[Functional and specific vasoactive intestinal peptide receptors in enterocytes isolated from fetal or adult rats]
Insights
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) receptors are more potent in fetal rat enterocytes than adult ones. This suggests VIP regulates enterocyte differentiation and function during fetal development.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Developmental biology
- Endocrinology
Context:
- Enterocytes, the absorptive cells of the small intestine, undergo significant development during gestation.
- Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a known regulator of intestinal functions, but its role during fetal development is less understood.
Purpose:
- To characterize the functional and specific vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) receptors in fetal rat enterocytes.
- To compare the potency of VIP in stimulating cyclic AMP (cAMP) generation in fetal versus adult enterocytes.
Summary:
- Functional VIP receptors were identified in enterocytes isolated from 19-day gestation rat fetuses.
- VIP demonstrated approximately six times greater potency (EC50 = 2.5 x 10(-10) M) in fetal enterocytes compared to adult enterocytes (EC50 = 15 x 10(-10) M).
- This enhanced VIP potency in fetuses was specific to VIP and not observed for prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), nor was it attributable to differences in cAMP-phosphodiesterase (cAMP-PDE) activity.
Impact:
- The findings suggest a crucial role for VIP in regulating enterocyte differentiation and function during rat fetal life.
- This research provides insights into the developmental regulation of intestinal absorptive cells and potential therapeutic targets for fetal intestinal disorders.
Abstract:
Functional and specific VIP receptors (relative potencies: VIP greater than PHI greater than secretin) have been characterized (cAMP generation) in enterocytes isolated from rat fetuses at 19 days gestation, after incubation at 37 degrees C in the presence of IBMX. In fetuses, VIP is about 6 times more potent (EC50 = 2.5 X 10(-10) M) than in adults (EC50 = 15 X 10(-10) M). This difference is not observed for PGE2, and is not related to cAMP-PDE activities (Km, Vmax). It is suggested that VIP may regulate the differentiation and function of enterocytes during the fetal life in rats.