The survival of globulins absorbed from the gut in suckling rats

Abstract

The survival of homologous and heterologous whole adult I131-labeled serum proteins which were absorbed from the gut or injected intraperitoneally in rats 7-, 14-and21-days old was studied bymeasuring the total body radioactivity with a ring counter. The survival time of the homologous protein absorbed (60-90% gamma-globulin) in 7- and 14-day-old rats is approximately the same as that of gamma-globulin injected into adult rats. The survival time of heterologous (monkey) serum protein absorbed in 7- and 14-day-old rats is at least as long or longer than that of homologous serum protein absorbed. It is inferred from these results that some of the gamma-globulin is not denatured during its absorption from the gut into the blood stream.