Method for the preparation of mucosal flaps from jejunum of laying hens for transporter studies in Ussing chambers

Ussing chambers are frequently used for 'in vitro' evaluation of intestinal transport physiology. The current study describes investigating the jejunal tissue from laying hens using a specific preparation method and evaluates the effect of glutamine in the maintenance buffer. 'Tunica mucosa' was stripped from 104 jejunal samples from 10 hens and stabilised by a net device. Fifty samples were maintained with modified Krebs-Henseleit buffer (Control), 54 samples with additional 5 mM glutamine (Group Gln). The percentage of responding samples varied between 87 and 100%. Mean short circuit current (Δ/sc,) [μA/cm²] of samples exposed to 10 mM glucose in the Control group and Group Gln was 17.0 and 14.6 ('p' = 0.836), respectively, of samples exposed to 100 μM phloridzin -13.3 and -11.8 ('p' = 0.712), respectively, and of samples exposed to 100 μM carbachol 4.7 and 3.7 ('p' = 0.450), respectively. In conclusion, the net-supported method enabled a reliable investigation of jejunum from laying hens. Glutamine in the maintenance buffer was of no significant benefit.