Observations on the Wilson and Wiseman method for the study of the active transport of sugars by the rat intestine in vitro

Abstract

This is a discussion of certain aspects which are relative to the use of the Wil­son & Wiseman method for the study of the active transport of sugars through the intestino of the rat in vitro.

Difficulties in reproducing the weights of the sacs according to various factors have affected the calculation of the initial and final serosal volume, and this limits to some degree the deductions reached as to the movement of liquid and sugar between the two compartments, which can only be considered as a help in «finding one’s bearings». This, however, is quite significant in that it shows production or non-production of gradients of concentraron.

A comparison of the capacities of ac­tive transport of two different experi­mental conditions can be more effectively made with contigous sacs of the same intestine. Thus we have a procedure for calculating the statistical significance of the percentage differences of the evidential capacity, starting from data of the same type of experiment practised on a group of animals, and leaving on one side the variability in normal capacity due to different ani­mals.