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.

Avian intestinal ultrastructure changes provide insight into the pathogenesis of enteric diseases and probiotic mode of action

“…The same images were used to evaluate apical damage of villi. The degree of villus damage was graded using a scale developed by Gomide Junior et al 95 , and modified for our needs (Table 3 ). To assess segmented filamentous bacteria (SFB) abundance, micrographs fitting only one square were used (Fig.…”

Morphometry of pectoral muscle fiber and intestinal villi of Calidris pusilla during the wintering period in Brazil

“…The number of goblet cells in the intestinal mucosa, expressed in number of cells per micrometer, did not change in the studied stages of wintering, even when there were histological modifications resulting from greater availability of nutrients, differently from those observed in poultry production (Gomide-Junior et al 2004, Ramalho de Lima et al 2013.…”

“…However, there are incipient studies in wild birds, especially migratory birds. In the poultry production studies, morphological modifications were noticed in intestines, villus height, crypt depth, villus/crypt ratio, and even the amount of goblet cells that produce the mucus that protects the intestinal mucosa from pathogens and assist in the flow of the food bolus through the digestive system (Gomide-Junior et al 2004, Ramalho de Lima et al 2013.…”

An update on carbohydrases: growth performance and intestinal health of poultry

“…2b. Intestinal morphology (villus height, crypt depth and epithelial turnover rate) changes in response to exogenous agents, for example, presence or absence of food and pathological conditions (Gomide Junior et al., 2004). Deeper crypts indicate faster tissue turnover as they contain stem cells and considered villus factories (Awad et al., 2009).…”