TRANSLOCATION OF PARTICULATES ACROSS THE GUT WALL - A QUANTITATIVE APPROACH

The translocation of latex particles across the epithelium of the rat small intestine and their transfer to internal organs was determined a nd quantified. The rate of particle uptake was also established. Parti cle uptake from the gut lumen to internal tissues was rapid as they we re detected in all tissues examined within 30 minutes of oral administ ration. The maximum number of particles per gram tissue was detected i n tissues of the small intestine. Particle number in spleen, kidney, l ung, liver and brain increased with time, and in mesenteric lymph node , and heart tissues they decreased with time. Particles were also dete cted in bone marrow samples. These findings suggest that this animal m odel is useful in the evaluation and quantification of particle uptake and the determination of the tissues to where they are transported.