Villi Of Animals Research Articles

Intestinal histology of Santa Ines lambs fed bovine or ovine colostrum

The aim of this study was to investigate histology characteristics in the small intestine of Santa Ines lambs fed bovine or ovine colostrum. At 0 and 6 h of life, 12 newborn lambs received 250 ml of first milking bovine colostrum (BC) and another 12 animals received 250 ml of first milking ovine colostrum (OC). Samples of duodenum, jejunum and ileum were collected at 24 and 72 h of life. Six animals were sampled at birth, without colostrum intake (0 h). The histomorphologic analysis revealed differences between BC and OC groups in the jejunum and ileum segments. BC group had higher amounts of colostrum-filled vacuoles in the intestinal epithelium compared to OC group and the latter group had a higher number of empty vacuoles. However, at 72 h of life both groups revealed the end of the intestinal colostrum absorption. Regardless of the treatment, apical nuclei and vacuoles were mainly observed in the villi of animals at 0 and 24 h of life, and at 72 h the enterocytes had basal nuclei and cytoplasm without the presence of vacuoles. An interaction between treatment and period was observed in villus height and crypt depth in the jejunum (P < 0.05). In this segment, BC group showed the lowest villus height at 24 h of life (710.37 ± 115.79 µm) while OC group had the larger villus height (883.79 ± 207.24 µm) at 24 h than at 0 h of life (791.43 ± 129.19 µm) (P < 0.05). Lambs from BC group showed the deepest crypts at 72 h (157.15 ± 41.81 µm), followed by 24 h (100.08 ± 23.40 µm) and 0 h (84.89 ± 21.10µm), and in OC group the deepest crypts were observed at 0 h (84.89 ± 21.10 µm), without the colostrum ingestion (P < 0.0%). The effects of treatment on the crypt depth were observed in the ileum (P < 0.05), crypts in BC group were deeper than in OC group (92.67 ± 21.47 and 83.12 ± 13.85 µm, respectively). The histological changes related to the ingestion of bovine colostrum did not apparently determine any consequences for enteric physiology. Thus, the results concerning the histologic and histomorphometric aspects confirm a possibility of successfully using bovine colostrum as a substitute for ovine colostrum in newborn lambs.

Influence of oregano extract on the intestine, some plasma parameters and growth performance in chickens

The effect of oregano essential oil on growth performance, intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) level, enterocyte proliferative ability, plasma proteins, and plasma minerals (calcium and magnesium) were studied in 1 day-old Ross 308 hybrid broiler chickens under commercial conditions during 42 experiment. Chickens fed oregano oil supplemented diet (0.707 g.kg-1) had significantly higher body weight gain (BWG) in the grower (19-29 d) and finisher (30-42 d) periods. Total plasma immunoglobulin levels were lower while mineral levels were higher during the finisher period. Significant decrease of IAP activity was demonstrated in animals fed oregano oil supplemented diet on 29, and 42 days of the experiment. Proliferative activity of enterocytes significantly increased in the finisher period along duodenal villi in animals treated with essential oil extracted from oregano. We suppose that higher body performance was probably the result of higher digestibility in the digestive tract. It is suggested that the antibacterial effect of carvacrol caused a lower number of intestinal bacteria, decrease of immunoglobulins and increase of investigated plasma proteins.

Modulation of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant defense systems in rat intestine by subchronic fluoride and ethanol administration

Excessive consumption of fluoride and ethanol has been identified as injurious to human health. Fluoride and ethanol co-exposures are commonly seen among the alcoholics residing in endemic fluoride areas worldwide. This study was undertaken to examine the modulation of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant defense systems in rat intestine by subchronic fluoride and ethanol administration. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: group I (control), group II (fluoride was given orally at a dose of 25 mg/kg body weight), group III (30% ethanol was given orally at a dose of 1 mL/kg body weight), and group IV (a combination of fluoride and ethanol was administered orally at the dose described for groups II and III). Lipid peroxidation was elevated ( P < .05) in intestine of rats by fluoride or ethanol treatments for 20 or 40 days. However, glutathione content was reduced by fluoride (32 and 44%) and ethanol (21 and 40%) treatments after 20 and 40 days, respectively. Fluoride-exposed animals showed reduction ( P < .05) in the activities of superoxide dismutase (22 and 42%), catalase (30 and 37%), glutathione peroxidase (22 and 35%), glutathione reductase (32 and 34%), and glutathione- S-transferase (24 and 30%) after 20 and 40 days. A similar decrease ( P < .05) in the activities of these enzymes was also noticed in animals exposed to ethanol for 20 or 40 days. The observed changes in lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione levels, and enzyme systems were further augmented in intestine of rats exposed to fluoride and ethanol together. Intestinal histology showed large reactive lymphoid follicles along with mild excess of lymphocytes in lamina propria of villi, villous edema, focal ileitis, and necrosis of villi in animals exposed to fluoride and ethanol for 40 days. These findings suggest that fluoride and ethanol exposure induces considerable changes in lipid peroxidation, antioxidant defense, and morphology of rat intestine, which may affect its functions.

Effect of Sage Extract on Alkaline Phosphatase, Enterocyte Proliferative Activity and Growth Performance in Chickens

The effects of sage extract on the activity of intestinal alkaline phosphatase (AP), proliferative ability of enterocytes, and growth performance in chickens were studied during 42 days of the experiment under commercial conditions. A significant increase of body weight gain was found in chickens fed with sage extract in the grower period (17-29 days of age) and in the finisher period (30-42 day of age). Total serum proteins were significantly (p&lt; 0.05) increased at 29 days of age in animals treated with sage extract. A significant (p&lt; 0.001) decrease in activity of intestinal AP was demonstrated on 29 and 42 days in animals fed with sage extract complemented diet. Proliferative activity of enterocytes was increased (p&lt; 0.01) in the finisher period along the duodenal villi in animals treated with sage extract. We conclude that the higher growth performance was probably due to improved endogenous secretion of the liver as a consequence of increased total proteins mainly in the grower period. Decreased activity of intestinal alkaline phosphatase was not in correlation with proliferative ability of enterocytes and the lower activity of AP could be influenced by improved digestion of lipids.

The morphology of cerebrospinal fluid drainage pathways in human arachnoid granulations.

Arachnoid granulations and villi from 23 brains from subjects aged 9 to 84 years were examined post mortem by serial sections with the light microscope and as whole or fractured preparations in the scanning electron microscope. The object of the study was to investigate the pathways within the arachnoid granulations by which cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drains from the subarachnoid space to the sinus endothelium. At the base of each granulation, a thin neck of arachnoid projects through an aperture in the dural lining of the sinus and expands to form a core of collagenous trabeculae and interwoven channels. An apical cap of arachnoid cells, about 150 microns thick, surmounts the collagenous core, and channels extend through the cap to reach subendothelial regions of the granulation. Channels within the granulation are lined by compacted collagen and may contain macrophages. Following recent subarachnoid hemorrhage, erythrocytes are found in the channels, suggesting that the channels are in continuity with the subarachnoid space and are CSF drainage pathways. The cap region of the granulation is only attached to the endothelium over an area 300 microns in diameter; the rest of the granulation core is separated from the endothelium by a subdural space and a fibrous dural cupola. Scanning electron microscopy reveals an intact endothelial surface to the granulations with small perforating venous channels present on the apex of some granulations. The differences between human arachnoid granulations and arachnoid villi in animals are discussed, together with preliminary observations regarding the transition of villi into granulations in man.

Intestinal Enzyme Activities Following Whole-Body Irradiation in Hamsters

SummaryThe phosphomonoesterase and Mg- (Na + K) -adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activities were measured in the mucosa of the small intestine of hamsters (Mesocrkelus auratus) exposed to 1,000 rads 60Co whole-body irradiation. The enzyme assays were made in irradiated and sham-irradiated hamsters sacrificed at intervals through Day 4 postirradiation. The two enzy-mic activities expressed per unit of tissue weight were significantly higher in the irradiated animals as compared to the sham-irradiated group at Day 2 postirradiation. No changes were found in the protein contents of jejunal mucosa between irradiated and sham-irracliated animals. While the ATPase activity was significantly lowered at Day 4, the phosphomonoesterase activity was observed to be higher at that time. The increase in enzyme activities may represent increased synthesis of these enzymes in the crypt cells that gave origin to the mature cells of the intestinal villi of animals sacrificed at Day 2 postirradiation. The increase in ATPa...