Starvation and sucrose activity in small intestinal mucosa. An evaluation of different tissue preparations and reference systems.

Starvation for 48 hrs reduced the activity of sucrase referred to unit length in rat proximal small intestine by approximately 30%, irrespective of whe her mucosal scrapings, isolated villus epithelial cells or brush border membranes were investigated. Sucrase activity referred to unit weight, unit protein or to unit DNA of intestinal epithelium did not change.