QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Riesenfeld, G. Articles by Hurwitz, S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Riesenfeld, G. Articles by Hurwitz, S.

Glucose Homeostasis in the Chicken¹

Institute of Animal Science, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel

Plasma glucose level and glucose turnover rate were studied in chicks (Gallus domesticus) fed isocaloric diets containing glucose, fructose or soybean oil as the main energy supplement. Plasma glucose level and body weight gain were not affected by glucose intake. Glucose turnover rate decreased from 15.6 to 10.2 mg/(min·kg) in chicks fed glucose- or carbohydrate-free diets, respectively, showing a limited dependence on glucose intake. Glucose conversion to lactate in the intestinal wall in vivo was studied by the introduction of radioactive glucose into a duodenal loop and fractionation of the labeled metabolites in plasma of the duodenal vein and peripheral blood. Up to 37% of the glucose was converted to lactate by the intestinal wall during absorption. Thus, by quenching the perturbations resulting from ingestion and absorption of glucose, the intestine assumes an important role in glucose homeostasis.

KEY WORDS: • plasma glucose • lactate • chickens

¹ Contribution from the Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel. No. 448-E, 1982 series.

Manuscript received 18 June 1982.