Permeability of Luminal Surface of Intestinal Mucosal Cells

A method has been devised to measure the permeability characteristics of the intestinal mucosal cells in the rat. The method makes use of an electrical recording balance to register changes in weight when the mucosal face of a small strip of intestine is exposed to anisotonic solutions. The permeability coefficient of the luminal surface of intestinal mucosal cells to water is measured as 0.15 cm(4)/OSM, sec. and reasons are adduced to suggest that the true value might be higher than this. The equivalent pore radius of the luminal face of the tissue, measured in experiments in which lipid-insoluble non-electrolytes have been used according to the method of Goldstein and Solomon, appears to be 4.0 A.