Absence of β-galactosidase (lactase) activity from intestinal brush borders of suckling macropods: Implications for mechanism of lactose absorption

Intestinal lactase activity in southern right whale calves (Eubalaena australis)

“…This is in contrast to some animals, such as macropod marsupials, where lactase activity is completely absent (Crisp et al . ). However, the measured lactase activity was quite low, and similar to that of other mammals that produce low‐lactose milk (Table ).…”

Lactose or milk oligosaccharide: which is significant among mammals?

“…It has been found that the activity of small intestinal lactase is lacking in the suckling neonates of monotremes ( Stewart et al, 1983 ) and Macropodidae marsupials ( Walcott and Messer, 1980 ; Crisp et al, 1987 ; Messer et al, 1989 ), including wallabies and kangaroos. Based on the histochemical observations of the small intestine of the suckling echidna and tammar wallaby, it has been concluded that the milk oligosaccharides are transported by pinocytosis or endocytosis into the small intestinal cells and then enclosed in the supranuclear vacuoles to be moved to the lysosome.…”

Human milk oligosaccharides: 130 reasons to breast-feed

“…It is also possible that smaller oligosaccharides can cross the enterocyte cell wall. In infant marsupials this has been postulated to occur via pinocytosis (Crisp et al 1987). Very small quantities of human milk oligosaccharides have been documented in the urine of breast-fed infants (Crisp et al 1987) but they have also been found in the faeces of fullterm and preterm breast-fed infants (Sabharwal et al 1988;Lundblad, 1993).…”

“…In infant marsupials this has been postulated to occur via pinocytosis (Crisp et al 1987). Very small quantities of human milk oligosaccharides have been documented in the urine of breast-fed infants (Crisp et al 1987) but they have also been found in the faeces of fullterm and preterm breast-fed infants (Sabharwal et al 1988;Lundblad, 1993). Rudloff et al (1996) showed that in preterm infants, the urine of breast-fed infants contained oligosaccharides, typical of human milk, equivalent to 1 % of the daily intake.…”