Lymphatic role in the pathogenesis of fat malabsorption in liver cirrhosis in rats.

Intestinal fat absorption was examined in rats with CCl4-induced liver cirrhosis. Marked lymphangiectasia of the small intestine was observed in rats after CCl4 was given subcutaneously biweekly for 10--12 weeks. Intestinal epithelial uptake of linoleic acid administered in the loop was not impaired, but accumulation of lipid droplets in the intestinal epithelial cells and disturbed lymphatic transport of absorbed fat were observed in these rats. These data suggest that lymphostasis of the intestine may play an important role in fat malabsorption in liver cirrhosis.