Intestinal synthesis and absorption of vitamin B-12 in channel catfish

Journal Article · Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1981 · J. Nutr.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5402889

Limsuwan, T; Lovell, R T

A feeding experiment conducted in a controlled environment and using a vitamin B12-deficient, but otherwise nutritionally complete, purified diet revealed that intestinal microorganisms in channel catfish synthesized approximately 1.4 ng of vitamin B12 per gram of bodyweight per day. Removal of cobalt from the diet or supplementation with an antibiotic (succinylsulfathiazole) significantly reduced the rate of intestinal synthesis and liver stores of vitamin B12. Radiolabeled vitamin B12 in the blood, liver, kidneys, and spleen of fish fed 60Co in the diet indicated that the intestinally synthesized vitamin was absorbed by the fish. The primary route of absorption was directly from the digestive tract into the blood because coprophagy was prevented in the rearing aquariums and the amount of vitamin B12 dissolved in the aquarium water was too low for gill absorption. Dietary supplementation of vitamin B12 was not necessary for normal growth and erythrocyte formation in channel catfish in a 24-week feeding period. A longer period, however, may have caused a vitamin deficiency since liver-stored vitamin B 12 decreased between the 2nd and 24th weeks.

• Research Organization: Department of Fisheries, Auburn University, AL
• OSTI ID: 5402889
• Journal Information: J. Nutr.; (United States), Vol. 111:12
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
VITAMIN B-12
BIOSYNTHESIS
INTESTINAL ABSORPTION
ANTIBIOTICS
BLOOD
COBALT
COBALT 60
DIET
ERYTHROCYTES
FISHES
INTESTINES
KIDNEYS
LIVER
SPLEEN
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
TRACER TECHNIQUES
ABSORPTION
ANIMALS
ANTI-INFECTIVE AGENTS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD CELLS
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
COBALT ISOTOPES
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISTRIBUTION
DRUGS
ELEMENTS
GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
GLANDS
HEMATINICS
HEMATOLOGIC AGENTS
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
MATERIALS
METALS
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
ORGANS
RADIOISOTOPES
SYNTHESIS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
UPTAKE
VERTEBRATES
VITAMIN B GROUP
VITAMINS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
551001* - Physiological Systems- Tracer Techniques