The digestive tract after 7 days of restraining conditions in normal and adrenalectomized rats

Hypokinesia produced specific reactions in tissues related to motion (bones, skeletal muscles and myocardium) and nonspecific in others, as that of the digestive tract after 7 days of hypokinesia. A decreased content of glycoproteins from mucous salivary glands, stomach, small intestine and colon, and an increased intestinal content of leucine-aminopeptidase and acid and alkaline phosphatase were found as a result of histochemical reactions. An important plasmatic corticosterone increase was also found. The same histochemical modifications appeared in adrenalectomized rats in which the plasma corticosterone was substantially diminished. Therefore these glycoproteins and enzymatic secretions are not dependent on the glucocorticoid response.