Development of jejunoileal differences of activity of lactase, sucrase and acid beta-galactosidase in isografts of fetal rat intestine.

Jejunal and ileal segments from preterm rat fetuses were implanted under the kidney capsula of adult rats. Sucrase, lactase and acid beta-galactosidase activities were determined in the isografts at different times after implantation, and in corresponding segments developing in situ. Whereas fetal intestine contains considerable activity of acid beta-galactosidase and lactase, no sucrase activity is detectable. Similarly -- as in situ -- 4 weeks after the implantation the jejunal segment exhibited higher activity of sucrase and lactase than the ileal segment. Acid beta-galactosidase was more active in ileal than in jejunal segments -- both growing in situ as well as isografts. Experiments have thus demonstrated that the expression of the jejunoileal gradient of activity of the 3 enzymes studied does not depend on direct contact with food or gastric, pancreatic and biliary juices. This gives validity to the suggestion that the gradient may already be programmed in fetal intestinal tissue, but other factors active in situ might be responsible for its magnitude.