Distribution and fate of pancreatic enzymes in small intestine of the rat

Abstract

The trypsin, chymotrypsin, and lipase activities of washings of the small intestine of the rat were measured. Diversion of pancreatic juice to the exterior of the body resulted in rapid disappearance of enzymes from the small intestine with virtually complete absence after 16 hr. For all three enzymes, larger amounts were present in the lower than in the upper half of the small intestine. By several criteria the order of rate of inactivation, from least to most rapid, was trypsin, chymotrypsin, and lipase. Feces of intact rats contained readily measurable amounts of all three of these enzymes.