DISACCHARIDASE ACTIVITIES IN PREGNANT AND LACTATING RATS

The changes in intestinal disaccharidase activities in pregnancy and l actation could be explained as a result of an adaptation to the energy demands of each reproductive stage. To examine these changes, disacch aridase activities (lactase, sucrase, maltase, and trehalase) were mea sured in the jejunum and ileum of virgin, pregnant and lactating Wista r rats. Minor changes in disaccharidase activities were observed in pr egnancy, whereas an increase of disaccharidase activities per small in testine length normalized to body mass was observed in lactation.