Nutrient absorption

Interesting advances occurred recently in nutrient absorption. Kinetics of triacylglycerol appearance in endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, and lymph support the hypothesis that endoplasmic reticulum-to-Golgi transport is rate-limiting for lipid absorption. Apolipoprotein B does not appear necessary for initial formation of chylomicron-sized lipid particles in the endoplasmic reticulum, but rather for their movement out of the endoplasmic reticulum and to the Golgi. If peptides are protected from luminal proteolysis by fatty acylation, or if a nonpeptide drug, acyclovir, is esterified with valine to enhance bioavailability, the peptides nevertheless are absorbed by peptide transporters. Experimental conditions needed to use human ileal mucosa for in vitro absorption studies are described. Intestinal mucosa contains leptin receptors, and leptin inhibits galactose absorption, suggesting a new site for leptin’s modulation of body mass. The enhancer element for the apoB gene is located much farther from its structural gene in the intestine than in the liver.