Quantitative changes in alkaline phosphatase in epithelial cells of rat small intestine from birth to weaning

Synopsis Alkaline phosphatase activity has been measured in mucosal scrapings of rat small intestine from birth to weaning. The levels of activity were then compared with those found in brush border fractions and cell residues over the same period. The amount of activity found in the residues was too high and variable to be accounted for in terms of diffusion, and it was concluded that during the developmental period considerable quantities of enzyme were present in the cytoplasm.The duodenal changes were similar, in form, in both mucosal scrapings and brush border, but the changes in the ileal brush borders were markedly different from those found in the ileal mucosal scrapings. A peak in the activity measured in the brush border fraction was observed during the weaning period. A partial explanation for the observed changes is suggested but a detailed analysis was not possible at the present stage in the work.