Occurrence of heparin and multisulfated chondroitins in the rat gastrointestinal tract and effect of fat feeding

Rats were fed glucose solution for 3 days and killed without fasting. Examination of the crude polysaccharides extracted from the gastrointestinal tract by electrophoresis on the micro scale and using critical electrolyte concentration and bacterial enzymes showed three types of sulfated mucopolysaccharides were present. These were identified as heparitins, multisulfated chondroitins, and heparins. The heparin resembled a macromolecular heparin of moderate molecular weight. Following oil feeding, only the heparitins and muitisulfated chondroitins were present in the small intestine, and no heparin was found. With fasting for 12 h after glucose feeding, the amount of the heparin fraction in the small intestine was reduced. The results obtained demonstrate the presence of a heparin in the rat small intestine which is responsive to changes in diet.