Calcium AbsorptionA Paradigm for Mineral Absorption

Manuscript received 4 November 1997. Initial reviews completed 17 December 1997. Revision accepted 24 December 1997.

Department of BioStructure and Function, The University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030-3705

Intestinal calcium absorption proceeds by two mechanisms, an active transcellular process that takes place in the duodenum and a passive paracellular process throughout the small intestine. This article characterizes the three steps of transcellular calcium movemententry, intracellular diffusion and extrusionand identifies conditions that must be satisfied for other mineral ions to move transcellularly as part of a transepithelial transport process. Passive calcium movement is down a chemical gradient with the amount absorbed by this pathway determined in large measure by the sojourn time, most of which is spent in the ileum. Because transcellular movement of most mineral ions other than calcium, where measured, is either small or negligible, passive transport is likely to be the major route of intestinal absorption, the nature of which, however, has not been well established experimentally.

The Journal of Nutrition Vol. 128 No. 5 May 1998, pp. 917-920
Copyright ©1998 by the American Society for Nutritional Sciences

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