Abstract
Summary
During the process of absorption of various solutions from isolated loops of dog's ileum the osmotic activity of the loop fluid normally decreases. The total osmotic pressure may fall to a half atmosphere below that of the blood plasma, even when the major solute constituents of the fluid show changes in concentration opposite to those expected on the basis of simple diffusion. These observations appear to leave no doubt as to the occurrence of active osmotic work in intestinal absorption, but they do not permit conclusions concerning the mechanism by which it is performed.
The authors are indebted to Dr. E. J. Baldes of the Mayo Foundation of the University of Minnesota for the loan of the thermoelectric apparatus.
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