Intestinal structure and function after small bowel by-pass in the rat.

1. To study further the influence of luminal nutrition on small bowel structure and function, segments of rat jejunum and ileum were completely excluded from intestinal continuity by Thiry-Vella by-pass operations. The effect of partial deprivation of luminal nutrition was also studied in jejunal segments that had been surgically transposed to a distal position in the intestinal tract. 2. Macroscopically, by-passed jejunum and ileum both became narrowed and atrophic, whereas the intestine in continuity showed hypertrophic changes similar to those seen after intestinal resection. 3. In by-passed intestine the pattern of villi changed from mucosal ridges to ‘fingers’ and ‘leaves’. Although villous height and total mucosal thickness were both reduced, light microscopy showed that even 6 months after exclusion from intestinal continuity villous morphology was still retained. 4. Epithelial-cell migration rate and turnover time were diminished in both jejunum and ileum after by-pass. In intestine in continuity the migration rate was increased, but the turnover time remained the same as in controls. 5. In by-passed jejunum, in vivo glucose absorption diminished progressively with time, but did not change in excluded ileal segments. 6. After ileo-jejunal transposition, the jejunum showed no major morphological changes, but glucose absorption became significantly depressed. 7. These results further support the concept that intraluminal nutrition exerts a major influence on cell turnover, villous morphology and absorptive function in the small intestine.