SummaryThe effect of undernutrition during suckling has been investigated on the brush border enzymes and the intestinal uptake of D-glucose and glycine in rats at weaning. The brush border sucrase and alkaline phosphatase activities were drastically reduced, but lactase and leucine aminopeptidase levels were significantly elevated in the intestine of nutritionally deprived pups compared to controls. The uptake of D-glucose and glycine in undernourished rats was also augmented. The chemical composition of the brush border membrane analyzed in nutritionally deficient animals revealed an enhancement of the membrane protein, sialic acid, cholesterol, and phospholipids compared to the control group. [U-14C]D-Glucose incorporation into lipid constituents of the membrane suggested that the observed enhancement of the membrane lipids is the result of an increased synthesis in response to undernutrition.SpeculationIt may be surmised that undernutrition induced postnatally influences the structural and functional organization of the brush border membrane because of delayed maturation of the epithelial tissue. Endocrine disturbances in undernutrition may be implicated to the observed phenomenon.