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Journal of Experimental Biology 114,551-561 (1985)
Published by Company of Biologists 1985

Calcium Absorption by the Midgut of the Blowfly, Calliphora Vicina

Colin W. Taylor ¹

¹ Department of Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Division of Cellular Pharmacology, Medical College of Virginia, P.O. Box 524, Richmond, Virginia 23298-0001, U.S.A.

The isolated midgut of the adult blowfly, Calliphora vicina, can be maintained under internal perfusion for over 6h, and calcium absorption measured by including ⁴⁵Ca in the perfusing saline with [³H[inulin as a volume marker. The midgut has a considerable capacity to transport calcium from the lumen (L) to the bathing saline (BS) against its electrochemical gradient and in the absence of an appreciable net water flux across the gut. Calcium absorption (L-BS) shows saturation kinetics, is totally and reversibly inhibited by metabolic poisons and is accompanied by a negligible backflux (BS-L). It is concluded that the midgut of C. vicina is capable of active calcium transport and that the entire transepithelial calcium flux occurs via a transcellular route. This contrasts with the mammalian duodenum, where absorption occurs via a combination of transcellular and paracellular routes.

Key words: Calcium absorption, insect midgut, active calcium transport.

Accepted on August 1, 1984

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