Mucosal calcium uptake by rat cecum: identity with transcellular calcium absorption

Unidirectional intestinal calcium uptake (JCame) at the mucosal surface of rat cecum was investigated in vitro with intact tissue. Uptake is linear for 2-3 min with no indication of rapid calcium binding. Kinetic parameters reveal a maximal velocity of 333 nmol . cm-2 . h-1 with a half-maximal concentration of 0.98 mM. High-calcium diet decreased JCame by more than 60% with respect to both control and low-calcium diets; 1 mM N-ethylmaleimide caused a similar reduction. The activation energy of JCame is significantly less than that of transepithelial mucosal-to-serosal calcium absorption. Mucosal uptake was compared with transepithelial calcium fluxes in rat cecum and revealed a 1:1 correlation over a wide range of transport rates. These results are interpreted to implicate a feedback control system between basolateral calcium efflux and brush-border calcium influx.