Absorption of triglycine, diglycine, glycine or equimolar mixtures of diglycine and glycine in the perfused small intestine of rats

1. After a wash-out period of 20 min with Krebs-Henseleit-buffer a 20 cm segment of proximal or distal small intestine of nonanaesthesized rats got a bolus infusion of 3 ml either triglycine, diglycine, glycine or an equimolar mixture of diglycine and glycine, respectively, in a concentration range of 20 to 1000 mmol/l glycine equivalents. With 9 ml of a peptide and amino acid free solution the gut was perfused in a single-pass perfusion and the whole fluid recovered was investigated by quantitative thin layer chromatography for triglycine, diglycine and glycine. 2. In the concentration range up to 170 mmol/l glycine equivalents the nitrogen absorption is independent of the substrates perfused. In the highest concentration range an additional increased disappearance of triglycine could be found. This change cannot be observed to the same extent for diglycine, glycine or the mixture of both. In contrast, in the highest concentration range the competition between glycine and diglycine results in a decrease of absorption. 3. The proximal or distal nitrogen absorption of all substrates is similar. 4. In the perfusate the peptide and its splitting products were investigated. 5. Based on the discrepancy between the disappearance of triglycine and the appearance of its splitting products it is assumed. 1. that the transport of intact triglycine is of quantitative importance in the highest concentration range and 2. that in the lower concentration range membrane digestion followed the transport of the splitting products prevails. 6. Extending Ugoley's model for dipeptides three general variations for membrane digestion of tripeptides are proposed. One of this is likely for the triglycine absorption.