FIGURE 3.

Final compartmental model describing all-trans and cis-lycopene absorption, distribution, isomerization, and clearance kinetics. Ovals represent kinetically homogeneous, physiologic compartments. The empirically measured plasma values represent the sum of 2 model compartments as delineated by the dashed rectangles. The solid rectangles enclosing “Gastric Motility Delay” represent a delay element to account for interindividual variability in the time between ingestion and plasma appearance. ¹³C-lycopene introduction to the system is denoted by the arrows connecting “cis-lycopene” and “all-trans-lycopene” with the GI tract compartment, bold numbers inside ovals represent the compartment number used in compartmental analysis, and italicized lettering next to arrows represents the L(I,J), which is the fractional transfer coefficient, used in model development to describe the rate of transfer between compartments for the transfer of lycopene from compartment J to compartment I. GI, gastrointestinal.