The small intestinal mucosal epithelium is the interface between ingested nutrients and their distribution networks in the underlying vasculature and lymphatics. This review reports on the small intestinal mucosal surface changes in the piglet from birth to the time of natural weaning (> 54 days). Despite numerous publications on the morphological characteristics of the gastrointestinal tract, ...

Placental development was studied in 24 gerbils from day 13 to term. Allantoic mesoderm contacts and vascularizes the chorionic-trager plate of germinal cytotrophoblast on day 13. Soon villous extensions penetrate the plate, carrying with them a covering of three layers of trophoblast derived from it. As the villi elongate, clumps of germinal cytotrophoblast are carried peripherally by them. Fu...

Chorionic villus sampling has gained importance as a tool for early cytogenetic diagnosis with a shift toward first trimester screening. First trimester screening using nuchal translucency and biomarkers is effective for screening. Chorionic villus sampling generally is performed at 10-12 weeks by either the transcervical or transabdominal approach. There are two methods of analysis; the direct...

Epithelial cells shed from the intestinal villus in starved rats were trapped in mucus which the goblet cells were stimulated to secrete; the number of trapped cells per villus was counted in whole mounts of fixed Feulgen-stained specimens from three sites in the small intestine. Increase in the interval between stimulation and fixation caused an increase in the number of shed cells per villus;...

We address the mechanism by which adult intestinal stem cells (ISCs) become localized to the base of each villus during embryonic development. We find that, early in gut development, proliferating progenitors expressing ISC markers are evenly distributed throughout the epithelium, in both the chick and mouse. However, as the villi form, the putative stem cells become restricted to the base of t...

We examined the cell-specific subcellular expression patterns for sodium- and potassium-coupled chloride (NaK2Cl) cotransporter 1 (NKCC1), Na(+) bicarbonate cotransporter (NBCe1), cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), and Na(+)/H(+) exchanger 3 (NHE3) to understand the functional plasticity and synchronization of ion transport functions along the crypt-villus axis and its ...

Small bowel transplantation (SBT) has been carried out in man in several cases without success, because immunologic problems were unsolved. In experimental SBT a 'two step' model was developed, which enables long term observation of immunologic phenomena. In this model the graft is in a heterotopic position to the recipient's own small bowel. After 35 days the recipient's own bowel is removed a...

In the intestine, finger-like villi provide abundant surface area for nutrient absorption. During murine villus development, epithelial Hedgehog (Hh) signals promote aggregation of subepithelial mesenchymal clusters that drive villus emergence. Clusters arise first dorsally and proximally and spread over the entire intestine within 24 h, but the mechanism driving this pattern in the murine inte...

BACKGROUND Maturation of enterocytes along the small intestinal crypt-villus axis is associated with significant changes in gene expression profiles. fls485 coding a putative chaperone protein has been recently suggested as a gene involved in this process. The aim of the present study was to analyze fls485 expression in human small intestinal mucosa. METHODS fls485 expression in purified norm...

Small bowel morphometry was studied in 25 subjects under the age of 70 years and 22 over the age of 70. There was no evidence of malabsorption or malnutrition in either group. Two distal duodenal endoscopic biopsy specimens were examined morphometrically. There were no significant correlations between age and areas of duodenal surface epithelium, crypts and lamina propria, heights of villi and ...