Fatty acid binding protein in the intestine of the chicken.

The mucosa of the mesenteric intestine of the chicken has been found to contain a fatty acid binding protein (FABP) with a molecular weight of less than 12,400. The protein is present in the newly hatched chick before ingestion of feed and in the adult bird. When a low-fat diet is fed, the concentration of the FABP is highest in the proximal portion of the intestine and decreases posteriorly. When a high-fat diet is fed, an increase occurs in the amount of FABP in the lower section of the intestine.