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The Response of the Toad Intestine to Prolonged Starvation: A Morphological, Functional and Metabolic Study *
Author(s) -
PearezGonzález Margarita,
Robinson J. W. L.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
european journal of clinical investigation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.164
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1365-2362
pISSN - 0014-2972
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2362.1971.tb00563.x
Subject(s) - toad , biology , starvation , vacuole , intestinal mucosa , respiration , anatomy , medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , endocrinology , cytoplasm
. 1. Toads were kept without solid nourishment for four months or more, and the morphological and functional characteristics of their intestines were compared with those of freshly captured animals. 2. The intestinal mucosa is one of the organs that is specifically and preferentially consumed during the process of autophagy. Histological sections reveal that a substantial loss of villous architecture is incurred. The epithelial cells covering the mucosal surface are interspersed with frequent vacuoles, the significance of which is as yet unclear. 3. The absorptive capacity of intestinal slices excised from autophagous toads, determined by their ability to accumulate radioactive phenylalanine, is lower than that of normal animals, but this difference can be ascribed to the distinct tissue composition of the intestinal slices. 4. Intestinal slices of autophagous toads have a lower respiration rate but higher glucose consumption than those of normal animals.