Features of Macro-Microscopic Morphology of the Human Large Intestine Glands with a Predominant Vegetarian Type of Diet

Abstract

The aim of investigation is to obtain data about the macro- and microscopic structure, as well as the cellular composition of the human large intestine glands from people who long adhere to the predominant vegetarian type of food. Material and methods . We conducted a comparative study of structural and quantitative indicators of the glandular apparatus of the large intestine of the corpses of four people 60–89 years of age, who had long adhered to a predominantly vegetarian diet. Microscopic observation was carried out on histological preparations stained with methylene blue, hematoxylin-eosin, van Gieson, Grimalius, alcyan blue. For statistical data processing methods of parametric statistics based on the program Statistica 6.0 were used. Statistical data processing included calculation of arithmetic averages and their errors. Results . The analysis of the qualitative assessment of the cellular composition of the epithelium and morphometric measurements of the size parameters of the intestinal glands in a long vegetarian diet revealed a significant increase in both the number and area of the intestinal glands: with a maximum for the caecum and sigmoid intestine in 126% and 179%, respectively. There was a statistically significant 5% increase in the proportion of goblet cells in glandular tissue and a corresponding increase in the volume of mucus in the consumption of plant foods. The proportion of undifferentiated (cambial) cells decreased slightly (about 3.5%). Indicators of the glands of the proximal 2/3 of length of the large intestine showed a significant proximo-distal gradient: there was a smooth decrease in both the number of epithelial cells and their morphometric characteristics.