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Ontogenetic Development and Distribution of Antibody Transport and Fc Receptor mRNA Expression in Rat Intestine

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Abstract

The intestine of the suckling rat has the uniquecapacity of absorbing immunoglobulins from maternalmilk. We investigated intestinal Fc receptor mRNAexpression and the absorption of orally administered antibodies to delineate the ontogeny and tissuespecificity of this transport system. Duodenalexpression of Fc receptor mRNA was at maximum levelsbetween 1 and 19 days of age, but was not detectableduring fetal life and in animals after weaning. Alongthe horizontal axis of the intestine, FcRn mRNAexpression was maximum in the proximal duodenum anddeclined gradually in distal bowel. Similarly,absorption of orally administered antibody was low shortlyafter birth, but reached maximum levels at 14 days ofage. By the time of weaning, antibody uptake had almostcompletely ceased. These data further delineate the temporal and spatial nature of theintestinal immunoglobulin transport system, andrepresent additional examples of how the intestinal Fcreceptor is transcriptionally regulated.

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Martin, M.G., Wu, S.V. & Walsh, J.H. Ontogenetic Development and Distribution of Antibody Transport and Fc Receptor mRNA Expression in Rat Intestine. Dig Dis Sci 42, 1062–1069 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018853506830

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