[The role of the gastrointestinal tract in metabolism: the confirmation and further development of the ideas of I. P. Razenkov].

According to the conception proposed by I. P. Razenkov, in addition to digestion proper, the gastro-intestinal tract is responsible for processes directly supporting metabolism. This conception has provided the basis for the modern concept of the circulation of a great amount of endogenous nutrients, proteins in particular, between blood and the digestive tract, which enriches and corrects the composition of exogenous proteins. Hepato-intestinal circulation of substances is a similar process too. Studies of active adaptations of the digestive glands to qualitative changes in nutrition have provided another evidence in its favor. There are several pathways to connect gastrointestinal tract with metabolism, according to the data accumulated up to now. In addition to the above-mentioned ones, they include gastro intestinal participation in hormonal control metabolism, excretory processes, biochemical activity of normal intestinal flora, etc. A rapidly progressing area of experimental and clinical research, dealing with the role of dietary fibres in nutrition is directly rooted in I. P. Razenkov's views and perfectly confirms their validity.