Abstract
The large and small intestines of fetal, newborn, juvenile and adult rats were investigated at various points by means of enzyme histochemistry, disc electrophoretic separations of enzymes and electron microscopy. The results obtained permit division of the morphological and enzymatic differentiation of the rat intestinal epithelium into four periods of development. 1. The period of prenatal development from the 19th to the 21st fetal day with a continuous increase of the enzyme activities in the enterocytes of the entire intestinal mucosa. 2. The period of postnatal development from the first day of life until the end of the second week with enzyme activity remaining roughly the same compared with the 21st day of life. 3. The period of adaptation from the beginning of the third week of life up to the middle of the fourth week of life. During this phase the transition into the stage of adult maturity occurs both morphologically and enzymatically. 4. The stage of adult maturity, which is fully developed in the middle of the fourth week of life.
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