Summary
The epithelium covering the large intestinal lymphoid follicles in fetal and postnatal lambs was examined for potassium-dependent p-nitrophenyl-phosphatase (K+-NPPase), carbonic anhydrase, magnesium-dependent adenosine triphosphatase (Mg2+-ATPase) and acid phosphatase. Reactivities for these enzymes indicated a homogenous population of cells in the follicle-associated epithelium (FAE), distinct from the absorptive epithelium. There were essentially no differences in the enzyme reactivities of the large intestinal FAE between fetuses in late gestation and postnatal lambs. The FAE showed a weak reaction for K+-NPPase and a variable staining for Mg2+-ATPase and acid phosphatase. In contrast, the adjacent absorptive epithelium demonstrated strong reactions for these enzymes. Carbonic anhydrase gave a strong reaction at the luminal and apparent basolateral cell borders of the large intestinal FAE. This distribution of reactivity for carbonic anhydrase resembled that found in the ileal FAE. In absorptive epithelial cells, only the luminal cell border reacted strongly for carbonic anhydrase. Serial sections of large intestinal tissue showed a variation in the basolateral staining of FAE from one section to the next, a finding which suggested that the reaction may be associated with transcytosis. The lymphoid follicles and domes of the large intestine showed a variable granular pattern of carbonic anhydrase staining, which also suggested a dependence on epithelial transcytosis.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aleksandersen, M., Nicander, L. & Landsverk, T. (1991) Ontogeny, distribution and structure of aggregated lymphoid follicles in the large intestine of sheep. Devel. Comp. Immunol. 15, 413–22.
Bockman, D. E. & Cooper, M. D. (1973) Pinocytosis by epithelium associated with lymphoid follicles in the bursa of Fabricius, appendix, and Peyer's patches. An electron microscopic study. Am. J. Anat. 136, 455–78.
Firth, J. A., Sibley, C. P. & Ward, B. S. (1986) Histochemical localisation of phosphatases in the pig placenta: II. Potassium-dependent and potassium-independent p-nitrophenyl phosphatases at high pH: relation to sodium-potassium-dependent adenosine triphosphatase. Placenta 7, 27–35.
Jacobsen, N. O. & Leth Jørgensen, P. (1969) A quantitative biochemical and histochemical study of the lead method for localisation of adenosine triphosphate-hydrolyzing enzymes. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 17, 443–53.
Kazimierczak, J., Sommer, E. W., Philippe, E. & Droz, B. (1986) Carbonic anhydrase activity in primary sensory neurons. I. Requirements for the cytochemical localization in the dorsal root ganglion of chicken and mouse by light and electron microscopy. Cell Tiss. Res. 245, 487–95.
Landsverk, T. (1980) Histochemical distribution of enzymes in the small intestine of young milk-fed calves. Acta Vet. Scand. 21, 402–14.
Landsverk, T. (1987) The follicle-associated epithelium of the ileal Peyer's patch in ruminants is distinguished by its shedding of 50 nm particles. Immunol. Cell Biol. 65, 251–61.
Landsverk, T. (1988) Phagocytosis and transcytosis by the follicle-associated epithelium of the ileal Peyer's patch in calves. Immunol. Cell Biol. 66, 261–68.
Landsverk, T., Jansson, Å., Nicander, L. & Pløen, L. (1987) Carbonic anhydrase - a marker for particles shed from the epithelium to the lymphoid follicles of the ileal Peyer's patch in goat kids and lambs. Immunol. Cell Biol. 65, 425–9.
Landsverk, T., Trevella, W. & Nicander, L. (1990) Transfer of carbonic anhydrase-positive particles from the follicle-associated epithelium to lymphocytes of Peyer's patches in foetal sheep and lambs. Cell Tiss. Res. 261, 239–47.
Landsverk, T., Halleraker, M., Aleksandersen, M., Mcclure, S., Hein, W. & Nicander, L. (1991) The intestinal habitat for organized lymphoid tissues in ruminants: comparative aspects of structure, function and development. Vet. Immunol. Immunopathol. 28, 1–16.
Liebler, E. M., Pohlenz, J. F. & Cheville, N. F. (1988) Gutassociated lymphoid tissue in the large intestine of calves. II. Electron microscopy. Vet. Pathol. 25, 509–15.
Liebler, E. M., Paar, M. & Pohlenz, J. F. (1991) M cells in the rectum of calves. Res. Vet. Sci. 51, 107–14.
Lojda, Z., Gossrau, R. & Schiebler, T. H. (1976) Enzymhistochemische Methoden. Berlin: Springer-Verlag.
Owen, R. L. (1977) Sequential uptake of horseradish peroxidase by lymphoid follicle epithelium of Peyer's patches in the normal unobstructed mouse intestine: An ultrastructural study. Gastroenterology 72, 440–51.
Owen, R. L. & Bhalla, D. K. (1983) Cytochemical analysis of alkaline phosphatase and esterase activities and of lectin-binding and anionic sites in rat and mouse Peyer's patch M cells. Am. J. Anat. 168, 199–212.
Owen, R. L. & Jones, A. L. (1974) Epithelial cell specialization within human Peyer's patches: an ultrastructural study of intestinal lymphoid follicles. Gastroenterology 66, 189–203.
Parsons, K. R., Bland, A. P. & Hall, G. A. (1991) Follicle associated epithelium of the gut associated lymphoid tissue of cattle. Vet. Pathol. 28, 22–9.
Ridderstråle, Y. (1976) Intracellular localization of carbonic anhydrase in the frog nephron. Acta Physiol. Scand. 98, 465–9.
Schulz, S. G. (1981) Ion transport by mammalian large intestine. In Physiology of the Gastrointestinal Tract (edited by Johnson, L. R.) 991–1002. New York: Raven Press.
Wachstein, M. & Meisel, E. (1957) Histochemistry of hepatic phosphatases at a physiologic pH. With special reference to the demonstration of bile canaliculi. Am. J. Clin. Pathol. 27, 13–23.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Aleksandersen, M., Bodahl, E.G. & Landsverk, T. Potassium-dependent p-nitrophenyl phosphatase and carbonic anhydrase reactivities suggest that lymphoid follicles in the large intestine of lambs are lined with a uniform type of epithelial cell distinct from the absorptive epithelium. Histochem J 25, 502–508 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00159286
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00159286