Motor patterns and propulsion in the rat intestine in vivo recorded by spatio‐temporal maps

Abstract  We have used spatio‐temporal maps derived from video images to investigate propagated contractions of the rat small intestine in vivo. The abdomen, including an exteriorized segment of jejunum, was housed in a humid chamber with a viewing window. Video records were converted to spatio‐temporal maps of jejunal diameter changes. Intraluminal pressure and fluid outflow were measured. Contractions occupied 3.8 ± 0.2 cm of intestine and propagated anally at 3.1 ± 0.2 mm s−1 when baseline pressure was 4 mmHg. Contractions at any one point lasted 8.7 ± 0.6 s. Contractions often occurred in clusters; within cluster frequencies were 2.28 ± 0.04 min−1. Pressure waves, with amplitudes greater than about 9 mmHg, expelled fluid when the baseline pressure was 4 mmHg. In the presence ofl‐NAME, circular muscle contractions occurred at a high frequency, but they were not propagated. We conclude that video recording methods give good spatio‐temporal resolution of intestinal movement when applied in vivo. They reveal neurally‐mediated propulsive contractions, similar to those previously recorded from intestinal segments in vitro. The propagated contractions had speeds of propagation that were slower and frequencies of occurrence that were less than speeds and frequencies of slow waves in the rat small intestine.