Intestinal Glucose Transport Mechanisms
Summary
Dietary carbohydrates are ultimately absorbed in the small intestine as monosaccharides, primarily d-glucose, through a coordinated interplay of specialised transport proteins and cellular processes. Uptake across the apical membrane of enterocytes is driven chiefly by the sodium–glucose co-transporter 1 (SGLT1), which couples glucose entry to the inward sodium gradient. Once inside the cell, glucose exits across the basolateral membrane via facilitative transporters, notably glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2). Under conditions of high luminal glucose, GLUT2 may also be transiently recruited to the apical domain, augmenting absorptive capacity. Expression and activity of these transporters are dynamically regulated by dietary composition, hormonal signals and diurnal rhythms. Enteroendocrine cells sense luminal glucose and, via SGLT1-mediated depolarisation, trigger incretin release (GLP-1, GIP), thus linking absorption to systemic glucose homeostasis. Dysregulation of these pathways contributes to metabolic disease, making intestinal glucose transport an attractive target for nutritional and pharmacological intervention worldwide.
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Intestinal Glucose Transport Mechanisms publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in intestinal glucose transport mechanisms across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
SGLT1: Sodium–glucose co-transporter 1, an electrogenic apical membrane protein that actively imports glucose and galactose into enterocytes using the sodium gradient.
GLUT2: Facilitative glucose transporter 2, a bidirectional carrier predominantly on the basolateral membrane of enterocytes that exports intracellular glucose into the circulation.
Enterocyte: A differentiated epithelial cell lining the small intestine responsible for nutrient absorption, brush border enzyme expression and hormone sensing.
Incretins: Gut-derived peptide hormones (e.g., GLP-1, GIP) released in response to nutrient uptake that enhance insulin secretion and regulate post-prandial glucose levels.
References
- Intestinal Morphology and Glucose Transporter Gene Expression under a Chronic Intake of High Sucrose. Nutrients (2024).
- Glucose transporters in the small intestine in health and disease. Pflügers Archiv - European Journal of Physiology (2020).
- Intestinal absorption of glucose in mice as determined by positron emission tomography. The Journal of Physiology (2018).
- The Role of SGLT1 and GLUT2 in Intestinal Glucose Transport and Sensing. PLOS ONE (2014).
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