Postnatal development of circadian rhythms in disaccharidase activities in rat small intestine.

The circadian rhythms in the activities of maltase and lactase of the small intestine were examined at various stages of postnatal development in rats. When the rats were fed ad libitum, no circadian change in the enzyme activities was found during the suckling period or the weaning period. However, several days after the time of weaning, the enzymes showed the same circadian changes as in adult rats with higher activities at night. After weaning, when the rats were fed only during the daytime, the phase of the enzyme rhythm shifted about half a day, and the highest activity was observed around feeding time. However, during the suckling period, no circadian rhythm in the enzyme acvities was found, even when the rats were allowed to feed only during a restricted time of the day.