Active glucose transport varies by small intestinal region and oestrous cycle stage in mice

Abstract Food intake changes across the ovarian cycle in rodents and humans, with a nadir during the pre‐ovulatory phase and a peak during the luteal phase. However, it is unknown whether the rate of intestinal glucose absorption also changes. We therefore mounted small intestinal sections from C57BL/6 female mice (8–9 weeks old) in Ussing chambers and measured active ex vivo glucose transport via the change in short‐circuit current (∆Isc) induced by glucose. Tissue viability was confirmed by a positive ∆Isc response to 100 µM carbachol following each experiment. Active glucose transport, assessed after addition of 5, 10, 25 or 45 mM d‐glucose to the mucosal chamber, was highest at 45 mM glucose in the distal jejunum compared to duodenum and ileum (P