The aim of the present study was to characterize the intestinal absorption of retinol and retinyl palmitate in thoracic duct and bile duct fistulated rats and to investigate the effect of a simultaneously administered lipase inhibitor, tetrahydrolipstatin (THL). Absorption was determined as lymphatic recovery over a 24-hr period, including an initial 12-hr continuous intraduodenal infusion of either [11,12-3H]retinol or [11,12-3H]retinyl palmitate given in emulsified glyceryl trioleate or in mixed micellar solution of monoolein and oleic acid. From micellar dispersion, labeled retinol and retinyl palmitate were recovered in the lymph to 50-60% and both to the same extent. Administered in emulsified form, labeled retinol from fed retinyl palmitate was recovered to 47%, but retinol from fed retinol to only 18%. THL (10(-4) M) in the infusate had no significant effect on the recovery of 14C-labeled oleic acid. The recovery of label from emulsified glyceryl tri[1-14C]oleate was significantly decreased at this concentration of THL (76.5% vs 19.6% recovery). When administered in emulsified form, retinol absorption was not significantly affected by THL at 10(-4) M, while retinyl palmitate absorption was very significantly decreased (5.0% compared to 47.8%). In the presence of THL, retinol absorption from retinyl palmitate in micellar solution was decreased (from 58% to 17%). Most of the retinol in the lymph extracts (72.2 to 91.3) was present as retinyl ester, regardless of the chemical and physical form of administration. Furthermore, THL did not induce any change in this pattern.