Transport of L-valine by the chicken caecum

1. We have studied L-valine transport by the caecal segments of 6- to 8-week-old chickens. Isolated enterocytes from the proximal caecum incubated with 0.1 mM L-valine can accumulate the substrate against a concentration gradient. After 50 min incubation, the intracellular L-valine concentration reached 0.53 mM, a value higher than that observed in enterocytes from the jejunum (0.34 mM; P< 0.01). 2. Enterocytes from the medial and distal caccal regions are unable to transport L-valine uphill (cell concentration: 0.1 mM). 3. Amino acid accumulation by proximal caecal cells was Na+ -dependent and was inhibited by ouabain and 2,4-dinitrophenol. L-methionine inhibits L-valine uptake and a 2.5 mM concentration abolishes the capacity of enterocytes to accumulate the substrate. 4. The high accumulation ratios shown by the proximal caecum for L-valine suggest a role for this intestinal segment in the absorption of neutral amino acids present in the caecal chamber.