THE TELEOST GUT PERSORBS MICROPARTICULATES

Abstract

The ability of the teleost gut to absorb microparticulate material was examined following rectal intubation (3.5 g kg -1 ) of commercial grade cornstarch (≈21 mm diameter), or potato starch (≈43 mm diameter). Tissue samples were taken from the mid - and hind-gut of control and treated fish 18 h postintubation. Collected samples were processed using standard plastic and staining protocols and resultant photomicrographs examined by computer-assisted image analysis. Cornstarch particles (8-14 mm), were observed to pass from gut lumen to the lamina propria via a paracellular or persorptive route only. No evidence for the like passage of potato starch was found.

Keywords

• bioencapsulation
• gastrointestinal tract
• herbst effect
• microparticulates
• paracellular uptake
• persorption