Response to dietary wheat bran in the exocrine pancreas and intestine of rats.

Rats were fed a fiber-free (FF) mixture or the same diet with a supplement of 20% wheat bran (WB). After 2 weeks, the pancreas contained higher levels of amylase and trypsin in rats fed WB. In response to a meal, the intestine contained more lipase activity in the WB group. The dry weight of material and protein level in the intestinal contents were also elevated in the WB group. The size of the intestinal villi had not changed, but it did contain more goblet cells. The results indicate that consumption of wheat bran can lead to changes in the exocrine pancreas, perhaps associated with shifts in gut hormones, and may effect absorption by increasing the bulk of material as well as enhancing mucus production in the intestine.