Use of scanning electron microscopy for the evaluation of intestinal epithelium integrity

Abstract

This work reports the use of scanning electron microscopy to evaluate intestinal epithelium loss in broilers. Intestinal mucosa of male and female chicks submitted to prolonged period post-hatching of water and feed deprivation was evaluated. Two segments of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum were taken per bird, and routinely processed by scanning electron microscopy. Six distinct degrees of epithelium loss were determined: degree 0, normal villi without apparent extrusion; degree 1, villi presenting small areas of epithelium loss; degree 2, villi without epithelium at the apex; degree 3, villi without epithelium at the apical region; degree 4, villi without epithelium in the upper half; degree 5, lack of epithelium in the whole villus; degree 6, loss of villi. Fasted male chicks presented only up to 38% of normal villi (degree 0 and 1) in the duodenum and jejunum, and 85% in the ileum, whereas fasted female chicks presented approximately 92% of normal villi in the three intestinal regions. Besides this, fasted male chicks had more accentuated degrees of epithelium loss (degrees 3, 4, 5 and 6) than females (degree 3). Data indicated that the intestinal mucosa in male chicks presents higher susceptibility to prolonged fasting than in females. Scanning electron microscopy is shown to be a reliable routine technique to characterize and quantify intestinal epithelium loss.