The intestinal absorption of folates

Abstract

Dietary folates, existing primarily in the form of pteorylpolyglutamates, are absorbed in the jejunum by a process involving hydrolysis and subsequent intestinal transport of pterolymonoglutamyl folate. Current evidence indicates that one (or more) intestinal mucsoal enzyme(s), termed folate conjugase, is required for the hydrolysis of pteroylpolyglutamate to pteroylmonoglutamyl folate. Unresolved controversies include the mucosal location of hydrolysis (surface versus intracellular), whether the transport of pteroylmonoglutamate is active or passive, and the relation of intestinal mucosal metabolism of pteroylmonoglutamate to its intestinal transport.