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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 582/3/1239    most recent jphysiol.2007.134403v1 Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Janssen, P. W. M. Articles by Hemar, Y. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Janssen, P. W. M. Articles by Hemar, Y. Related Collections Alimentary

¹ Institute of Food, Nutrition and Human Health, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, New Zealand
² Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, New Zealand

We studied the flow and mixing regimes in isolated segments of the terminal ileum of brushtail possums during spontaneous circumferential and longitudinal contractions under conditions that allowed backflow and compared them with those of inactive segments. Residence time distributions (RTDs) were determined by perfusion with two probes of different rheological properties to which an inert dye marker was added. Ileal segment volume and oscillatory flow during the period of RTD determination were derived from spatiotemporal maps. High viscosity guar gum solution generated RTDs characteristic of laminar flow in inactive ileal segments which confirmed that no slip was occurring at the mucosal layer. In active segments, motility and consequent oscillatory flow imparted significant additional axial dispersion to the flow patterns of both probes. Mixing occurred episodically during periods when intestinal volume was reduced and onflow was augmented by peristalsis, which may prevent the establishment of steady state conditions. Marker concentration rose more steeply when active ileal segments were being perfused with a probe of similar viscosity to normal digesta than with low viscosity Earle's/Hepes solution, each being subject to similar levels of oscillatory flow. This indicated that a coarser mixing regime prevailed and that absorption of nutrients from viscous digesta would rely to a greater degree on molecular diffusion.

(Received 11 April 2007; accepted after revision 10 May 2007; first published online 10 May 2007)
Corresponding author P. W. M. Janssen: Institute of Food, Nutrition and Human Health, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, New Zealand. Email: p.janssen{at}massey.ac.nz