Digestive structural modifications in rats submitted to 15 days of hypokinetical conditions.

Restraining rats for 14 days in special cages in order to determine a hypokinetical state decreased mucopolysaccharide secretion in submaxillary glands and gastric mucosa. In the small intestine and in the colon, concomitantly with an enzymatic (leucine-aminopeptidase and acid phosphatase) hypersecretion as results from specific histochemical reactions. These modifications show maximum intensity at the end of the interval. The corticosterone plasmatic level determined in the same interval also increased, suggesting this way to a causal relation. The histomorphological changes presented delayed reaction. This material is in accord with our previous investigations as well as with some literature data.