ABSTRACT
After an amino acid chelate or an amino acid chelate/complex has been taken up by the absorptive cell, is it transferred directly to the plasma as the intact molecule that was absorbed or is it hydrolyzed into a metal ion and free amino acids in the mucosal cell prior to sending the mineral on to the plasma? To help answer this question, a study was designed to simulate the fate of an iron amino acid chelate following its absorption into the mucosal tissue and subsequent transfer to the serosa.1 Using 14C-tagged amino acids and 59iron, this in vitro study allowed investigators to observe potential mucosal cell hydrolysis and the rates of deliveries of the ligand and metal to the serosa.
