G. Kehrer et al., MICROCALORIMETRY FOR ASSESSMENT OF ENERGY TURNOVER OF HUMAN GASTROINTESTINAL MUCOSA IN-VIVO, Thermochimica acta, 310(1-2), 1998, pp. 119-124
The objective of the present microcalorimetric investigation on mucosa
l biopsies from human gastric body (B) and descending duodenum (D) was
to test whether a steady state of metabolism does persist and, if not
, to find out how to assess the preexisting in vivo conditions. The me
asurements were performed at various incubation temperatures and parti
al pressures of oxygen. The measured curves fell exponentially after r
eaching an initial maximum without an initial steady state. Back-extra
polations to the time of taking the biopsies on the basis of a two-pha
se exponential decay curve gave baseline thermal power values at 37 de
grees C of 41 (D) and 15 (B) mu W/mg(dw), respectively, which roughly
correspond to known values of basal oxygen consumption of heart and ki
dney. The higher values of the duodenum may be founded on a higher tra
nsport activity in vivo. Altogether, microcalorimetry seems to be a me
thod for comparative evaluation of metabolic activity of human mucosa
samples. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.