Segmental diversity of phosphate transport along the intestinal axis in horses.

For horses, distinct differences in intestinal phosphate transport have been postulated to account for the unique features of hind gut fermentation compared to other monogastric animals and ruminants. So far published data on mechanisms and underlying transport proteins involved in intestinal phosphate transport in the horse are still missing. Therefore we investigated intestinal phosphate transport in horses at both functional and molecular levels.

Trans- and paracellular calcium transport along the small and large intestine in horses.

Intestinal calcium absorption plays a key role in the maintenance of calcium homeostasis and may either occur by paracellular or transcellular mechanisms. The horse has some unique peculiarities in calcium homeostasis compared to other species including a high absorptive capacity for calcium in the intestine, high plasma calcium concentrations, high renal excretion, and low plasma concentrations of vitamin D metabolites. So far, knowledge about the underlying mechanisms and the regulation of intestinal calcium absorption is still limited concerning this species.