American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 32, 846-855, Copyright © 1979 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc

REVIEW ARTICLES

The intestinal absorption of folates

CH Halsted

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.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				I. Lasry, B. Berman, R. Straussberg, Y. Sofer, H. Bessler, M. Sharkia, F. Glaser, G. Jansen, S. Drori, and Y. G. Assaraf A novel loss-of-function mutation in the proton-coupled folate transporter from a patient with hereditary folate malabsorption reveals that Arg 113 is crucial for function Blood, September 1, 2008; 112(5): 2055 - 2061. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Verwei, K. Arkbage, R. Havenaar, H. van den Berg, C. Witthoft, and G. Schaafsma Folic Acid and 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate in Fortified Milk Are Bioaccessible as Determined in a Dynamic In Vitro Gastrointestinal Model J. Nutr., July 1, 2003; 133(7): 2377 - 2383. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. J. Malatack, M. M. Moran, and B. Moughan Isolated Congenital Malabsorption of Folic Acid in a Male Infant: Insights Into Treatment and Mechanism of Defect Pediatrics, November 1, 1999; 104(5): 1133 - 1137. [Abstract] [Full Text]