Lectin histochemical characteristics of the epithelial surface of ileal Peyer's patches in 3-week-old pigs.

Distinct glycoconjugate expression between dome enterocytes and villus enterocytes in ileum from twelve 3-week-old conventional pigs was examined by the use of twenty one biotinylated lectins with avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method. Three patterns of staining were seen. First, lectins bind to dome enterocyte and villus enterocyte to approximately equal staining, i.e. DSL, WGA, s-WGA and ConA. Second, lectins display a markedly higher affinity for villus enterocyte than dome enterocyte, i.e. DBA, SBA, RCA I, SJA, VVA, BSL II, LEL, PNA, Jacalin, and ECL. Third, lectins exhibit negative staining to dome enterocyte only, i.e. PSA, LCA, UEA-I, and STL. Four lectins; PSA, LCA, UEA-I, STL may be useful negative marker to differentiate glycoconjugate expression between dome enterocyte and villus enterocyte. The staining patterns are slightly different among these negative markers. Three lectins, PSA, LCA, and UEA-1, are negative marker to differentiate dome enterocytes and villus enterocytes. But STL is also negative to dome epithelial surface and moderately positive to villus brush border. It is suggested that the present lectin-binding studies provide the marker of dome enterocyte as compared with villus enterocytes.