BACKGROUND Chronic stress affects the course of inflammatory bowel disease and experimental colitis, and may also initiate intestinal inflammation in rats. AIM To investigate the effects of stress on the M cell containing follicle associated epithelium, specialised in antigen uptake. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Wistar rats were submitted to acute water avoidance stress for one hour or chronic wate...

We studied the effects of amounts of colostrum consumed on intestinal morphology and proliferation and digestive enzyme activities in neonatal calves. Group GrCmax calves were fed colostrum from the first milking undiluted on d 1-3 and diluted with 25, 50, 75 and 75 parts of a milk replacer on d 4-7. Group GrC1-3 calves were fed colostrum from milkings 1-6 up to d 3 and then a milk replacer up ...

During late gestation, villi extend into the intestinal lumen to dramatically increase the surface area of the intestinal epithelium, preparing the gut for the neonatal diet. Incomplete development of the intestine is the most common gastrointestinal complication in neonates, but the causes are unclear. We provide evidence in mice that Yin Yang 1 (Yy1) is crucial for intestinal villus developme...

Capillaries in jejunal villi can absorb nutrients at rates several hundred times greater (per gram tissue) than capillaries in other tissues, including contracting skeletal muscle and brain. We here present an integrative hypothesis to account for these exceptionally large trans-endothelial fluxes and their relation to epithelial transport. Equations are developed for estimating concentration g...

Mucosal blood supply in the rat small intestine was studied by the injection replica scanning electron microscope method. The blood vascular plexus in the villus is originated at the tip of the villus and confluenced near the base of the villus. This supports the classical "fountain pattern" of MALL in the villous microcirculation. The capillary plexus in the crypt is derived at the base of the...

Present evidence suggests that in the small intestine, villus cells are primarily absorptive and crypt cells are primarily secretory. In order to further confirm that there are differences in transport properties between villus and crypt cells, we have separated villus from crypt cells, using calcium chelations techniques, and determined the distribution of Na:H and Cl:HCO3 exchange activity on...

The aims of the present study were (a) to maintain the structure and function of the small intestine of the piglet after weaning, and (b) to compare the capacity in vivo of sucking and weaned piglets to digest oral boluses of lactose and sucrose and absorb their monosaccharide products. Piglets were fed on cows' whole milk ad libitum every 2 h for 5 d after weaning. Physiological doses of lacto...

Alphamune, a yeast extract antibiotic alternative, has been shown to stimulate the immune system, increase BW in pigs, and reduce Salmonella colonization in chickens. The influence of Alphamune on gastrointestinal tract development has not been reported. Two trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of Alphamune on gut maturation of 7- and 21-d-old turkey poults. Poults were fed a standard ...