Summary
The morphological features of intestinal epithelium have been studied by light and electron microscopy in two species; in the rat which is able to absorb proteins, such as antibodies and in the rabbit which does not present any transfer upon oral administration of antibodies.
The structure of intestinal absorptive cells of the foetus at term and of the newborn from the first day up to the 20th day of life showed a marked evolution. In the foetal cells the apical quarter of the space between the nucleus and the terminal web presents a well developed smooth endoplasmic reticulum. This reticulum is progressively replaced from the first days of life by large numerous vacuoles which diminish in size and number from the 10th day until they disappear on the 20th day. At that time the cells present the adult picture.
This evolution as well as other described structural features of the absorptive cells are similar in the two species, despite functional differences in neonatal protein absorption.
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Nous remercions le chef du Centre de Microscopie électronique Monsieur A. Gautier pour ses conseils et ses suggestions intéressantes, Madame M. Probst et Monsieur O. Jenni pour leur aide technique.
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Kraehenbuhl, J.P., Gloor, E. & Blanc, B. Morphologie comparée de la muqueuse intestinale de deux espèces animales aux possibilités d'absorption protéique néonatale différentes. Zeitschrift für Zellforschung 70, 209–219 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00335674
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00335674