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[Effect of the thyroid in the development of intestinal hydroxylases]
Insights
This study tracks intestinal saccharidase activity in perinatal rats, finding sucrase and maltase increase with age while lactase declines. Thyroid hormone levels, crucial for fat digestion maturation, rise significantly after birth.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Endocrinology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Intestinal enzyme activity undergoes significant changes during development.
- Thyroid hormones play a critical role in mammalian metabolic and digestive system maturation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the developmental patterns of saccharidase enzymes in the rat intestine during the perinatal period.
- To assess the relationship between thyroid hormone levels and intestinal maturation.
Main Methods:
- Measurement of sucrase, maltase, and lactase activity in rat intestinal tissues.
- Quantification of circulating thyroxine levels in blood samples from rats at various perinatal stages.
Main Results:
- Sucrase and maltase activities showed a progressive increase with age.
- Lactase activity exhibited an age-dependent decrease.
- Thyroxine levels were nearly undetectable at birth, rising sharply to adult levels by 22 days postpartum.
Conclusions:
- Intestinal saccharidase profiles change significantly during rat perinatal development.
- Thyroid hormone levels increase substantially after birth and are implicated in intestinal maturation processes.
Abstract:
The authors studied the saccharidase levels in the intestines of rats during the perinatal period. Sucrase and maltase values increase with advancing time, while lactase values decrease also age-dependently. The thyroid gland has a decisive role in the intestinal maturation of fats. In an assessment of circulating blood thyroxin levels, the authors found that the amount of thyroxin at birth is practically undetectable (less than 0,05 mug/100 ml expressed in iodine), rapidly increasing up to adult levels (3,8 mug/100 ml) 22 days after birth.