Proximate mechanisms that regulate intestinal performance for the python

调节蟒蛇肠道性能的直接机制

• 批准号: 0446139
• 负责人: Stephen Secor
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-05-01 至 2010-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0446139&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Proximate; mechanisms; regulate; intestinal; performance

The enzymes and transporters housed within the outer membrane of cells lining the inside of the small intestine are responsible for the final break down and absorption of a meal's nutrients. Fortunately these cells can increase their digestive and absorptive performance when faced with a larger meal or when segments of the small intestine are lost to surgery or disease. Although the capacity to increase digestive performance is important for health and nutrition, the means by which the intestine can do this is currently unknown. Whereas previous research has used traditional laboratory mammals (mice, rats, and rabbits) to study intestinal function, this project takes a different approach and uses the Burmese python to investigate the mechanisms by which the intestine can alter performance. The advantage of the python is that they increase intestinal function by 20-fold with each meal, far above the more modest 2-fold increases that mammals can exhibit. Pythons also possess the extraordinary ability to rapidly increase intestinal surface area by lengthening their intestinal microvilli (small finger-like projections that extend from intestinal cells). Therefore, identifying the steps involved in improving intestinal function will be more easily accomplished from studies of the python intestine rather than from studying mammal intestine. This project employs tissue, cellular, and molecular techniques to elucidate the relationship between intestinal surface area and intestinal function, and the means by which that surface area can be expanded to increase function. The research and student training will take an integrative multi-level approach. Graduate and post-doctoral training will occur during this work, but a strong focus will be placed on the inclusion of undergraduate student researchers in all aspects of this work.

小肠内部细胞外膜内的酶和转运蛋白负责膳食营养物质的最终分解和吸收。 幸运的是，当面临大餐或小肠部分因手术或疾病而丧失时，这些细胞可以提高其消化和吸收性能。 尽管提高消化性能的能力对于健康和营养很重要，但肠道如何做到这一点目前尚不清楚。 之前的研究使用传统的实验室哺乳动物（小鼠、大鼠和兔子）来研究肠道功能，而该项目采用了不同的方法，并使用缅甸蟒蛇来研究肠道改变性能的机制。 蟒蛇的优势在于，它们每顿饭都能将肠道功能增强 20 倍，远高于哺乳动物所能实现的 2 倍的适度增强。 蟒蛇还具有通过延长肠道微绒毛（从肠道细胞延伸出的小指状突起）来快速增加肠道表面积的非凡能力。 因此，通过对蟒蛇肠道的研究而不是对哺乳动物肠道的研究，可以更容易地确定改善肠道功能所涉及的步骤。 该项目采用组织、细胞和分子技术来阐明肠道表面积和肠道功能之间的关系，以及扩大表面积以增强功能的方法。 研究和学生培养将采取综合多层次的方法。 这项工作期间将进行研究生和博士后培训，但重点将放在让本科生研究人员参与这项工作的各个方面。