Sodium glycolate absorption in rat intestine.

Absorption of sodium [1-14C]glycolate by rat intestine was studied by using the tissue accumulation technique with everted intestinal rings. Saturation kinetics was observed for the absorption of glycolate in the jejunoileal region, with a Km of 6.25 mM for glycolate and a Vmax of 5.56 mumole/30 min/g wet wt. The absorption was linear up to a period of 25 min at 37 degrees C. Jejunum and ileum showed significantly higher absorption of glycolate as compared to colon. Sulfhydryl binding agents, viz., p-chloromercuribenzoate and iodoacetate, and respiration inhibitors, e.g., KCN and 2,4-dinitrophenol, had no significant effect on glycolate uptake. However, glyoxylate and lactate showed significant inhibition at 6 mM concentration of the inhibitor. Pyridoxine deficiency had no effect on glycolate uptake by the rat intestine.