Ca2(+)-dependent glucose transport in chicken intestine.

Transport of glucose was measured in the intestine of white leghorn layers in vivo using ligated upper small intestinal segment in the presence of Ca2+ and other ions either singly or in combination. Transport of glucose across the intestine was very significantly increased with Ca2+ than Na+, K+ and Po4(3-) individually, but when Ca2+ was combined with Na+, K+ and PO4(3-), the glucose absorption increased significantly over that achieved by Na+ ions alone. These data revealed that Ca2+ ions might be exerting the major influence on glucose transport processes of the chicken intestine.