Absorption of Polyglutamic Folate: Participation of Deconjugating Enzymes of the Intestinal Mucosa

Abstract

A rise in the serum level of free folate in man follows the ingestion of conjugated folate purified from yeast. Everted sacs of rat intestine release folate from conjugate, and homogenates of intestinal mucosa of man and rat contain enzyme (or enzymes) capable of releasing free folate from conjugated folate. We suggest that these enzymes of the intestinal mucosa participate in the absorption of folate from the peptide conjugates that predominate in the human diet.