Ultra-structural, histo-chemical and histo-enzymic activities in the large intestine of developing Guinea fowl

Abstract

The ultrastructural, histochemical and histoenzymic activities in the large intestine of the post-hatch Guinea fowl were studied. Guinea fowl of days 1, 7, 15, 30, 90 and 180 were used. The distribution of histochemically active compounds and enzymes were correlated with age. The distributions of enzymes and histochemically reactive substance within the cytoplasm of intestinal epithelial cells have shown that the cytochemical pattern of the mature intestinal absorptive cell is the reflection of both its structural arrangement and its highly specialized function. The brush border showed a mild to moderate reaction with PAS which was resistant to diastase. The apical microvillus coating of glycocalyx, was very thin but it stained strongly with the Alcian Blue thus revealing the presence of acid mucopolysaccharides. The activity of AKPase, ACPase and lipase were observed in the surface epithelium and crypts which increased with the advancement of the age. Columnar cells of the villi and glycocalyx coat of the brush border of all segments of the large intestine showed a mild positive reaction for lipase activity. On ultra-structural study, the epithelial cells of large intestine were tall columnar in shape. They possessed well developed striated border and terminal web. The presence of numerous long micro-villi covered with glycocalyx.