Development of Intestinal Selective Absorption of Glucose in Newly-Hatched Chicks. ∗ †

Abstract

Summary

1. Absorption rates of glucose and sorbose, alone and with phlorhizin, were determined in chicks between 0 and 1 days of age. 2. Sorbose fulfilled the expectations of a passively absorbed sugar in that its absorption velocity was uniformly slow and uninfluenced by phlorhizin at all ages. 3. Glucose absorption velocity increased to a level 4 times as rapid as sorbose within 2 days of hatching and was inhibited by phlorhizin in all age groups. 4. These data, in support of earlier findings 1, suggest that the mechanism(s) responsible for the selective absorption of glucose is not fully developed at hatching, but rapidly achieves an adult level of function within 2 days thereafter.