The Absorption of Ionic, Biliary, and Plasma Radiocopper in Neonatal Rats

Abstract

Suckling rats avidly absorb radiocopper given as either ionic copper (100 per cent), biliary copper (92.6 per cent), or plasma copper (74.6 per cent), and the absorption occurred predominantly in the ileum. Irrespective of the form in which copper was given, absorption decreased progressively with age, and in weaned rats biliary and plasma copper were poorly absorbed. Cortisone given to suckling rats caused a marked reduction in ileal uptake (37.7 per cent cf. 2.9 per cent) and prematurely induced a pattern of copper balance found in adult animals.

Key-words:

• Bile copper
• cortisone
• ionic copper
• neonatal rats
• pinocytosis
• plasma copper