[Cholesterol uptake in the small intestine of the rat in experiments in vitro]

The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of cholesterol uptake in the small intestine of rats were determined in vitro under normal and hypercholesterolemic conditions. It is established that the cholesterol uptake by the small intestine mucosa is a process of the zero order and the rate of its uptake is constant during the whole period of studies. The cholesterol uptake by mucosa during hypercholesterolemia occurs at a higher rate than under normal conditions. Activation energy for the cholesterol uptake is 10.52 Cal/mol under normal conditions, while it is reduced to 7.9 Cal/mol under experimental hypercholesterolemia. The experimental data permit suggesting that the membrane of the mucous brush border possesses a rather high energy barrier for the cholesterol uptake indicating the active nature of its uptake in the small intestine.