Structural Features of Glands in the Sphincter Zones of the Large Intestine of an Adult

The aim is to study macro- and microscopic structure, as well as the cellular composition of the glands of the sphincter zones of large intestine of adults of different age groups.

Material and methods. On autopsy material obtained from 30 people, without signs of pathology of the digestive tract of three age groups: 20–29 years, 50–59 years, 90–99 years, the structure of the glandular apparatus of the sphincter zones was studied. The areas of the Gerlach flap, Girsch sphincters, Payr–Strauss, Bally, O'bern–Pirogov–Moutier were considered. Quantitative morphometry was performed on histological preparations stained with methylene blue, followed by fixation in a saturated solution of ammonium molybdenum (picric acid), hematoxylin-eosin, picrofuchsin according to Van Gieson. Methods of parametric statistics based on the Statistica 6.0 program were used for statistical data processing.

Results. The analysis of the number, size and cellular composition of the glands of the sphincter zones of the large intestine revealed an increase in both the number of glands and their size in all age groups compared to the proximally adjacent areas of the intestine, on average by 1.3–1.5 times. In a similar range, individual indicators of the number of epithelial cells in the glands of the sphincter zones of the colon increased. At the same time, the cellular composition of the glands of the sphincter zones and adjacent areas of the intestinal wall was similar to neighboring areas, with predominant goblet-shaped epithelial cells (52.9–54.2% of cells on the longitudinal section of the gland) and the presence of absorption cells (29.9–31.2%), undifferentiated – 11.9–13.2% and argyrophilic endocrinocytes – 1.4–5.3%.

Conclusion. Against the background of narrowing of the lumen of the large intestine in the area of the sphincters and changes in the nature of the mucous membrane, there is an increase in the size and density of the localization of glands in all age groups. This confirms the thesis about the formation of a protective barrier that provides a local adaptive potential of this area of the intestinal wall, against the background of increased mechanical effects of intestinal masses.

1. Azarov VF. Individual-typological features of colon sphincters identified during colonoscopy. Gastroenterologiya Sankt-Peterburga. 2019;3-4:68–70(in Russian).

2. Baitinger VF. Sfinktery pishchevaritel'nogo trakta. Tomsk: izd. Sibirskogo gos. med. Un-ta;1994] (in Russian).

3. Kolesnikov LL. Sfinkterologiya. Moscow: Geotar-media; 2008] (in Russian).

4. Nikityuk DB, Kolesnikov LL, Shadlinskii VB, Bazhenov DV, Alekseeva NT, Klochkova SV. Mnogokletochnye zhelezy stenok pishchevaritel'noi i dykhatel'noi sistem (voprosy funktsional'noi morfologii). Voronezh: Nauchnaya kniga; 2017] (in Russian).

5. Sapin MR, Nikolenko VN, Chava SV, Alexeeva NT, Nikityuk DB.Points of classification and reguliarities of the construction of small glands in the wall of hollow organs. Journal of Anatomy and Histopathology. 2013;2(1):9–17] (in Russian).

6. Sinel'nikov RD. Metod okraski zhelez slizistykh obolochek i kozhi. V kn.: Mat. k makromikroskopii vegetat. nervn. sist. i zhelez slizistykh obolochek i kozhi. Khar'kov; 1948: 401–5] (in Russian).

7. Chetvertkov VS, Nikityuk DB, Shvetsov EV, Chava SV. The structural characteristic of the glandular apparatus of the mice duodenum after irradiation. Astrakhan Medical Journal. 2012;7(4):266–70] (in Russian).

8. Bharucha AE. Update of Tests of Colon and Rectal Structure and Function. Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology. 2006 Feb;40(2):96–103. doi: 10.1097/01.mcg.0000196190.42296.a9

9. Goodlad RA, Levi S, Lee CY, Mandir N, Hodgson H, Wright NA. Morphometry and cell proliferation in endoscopic biopsies: Evaluation of a technique. Gastroenterology. 1991 Nov;101(5):1235–41. doi: 10.1016/0016-5085(91)90072-s

10. Ficsor L, Varga VS, Tagscherer A, Tulassay Z, Molnar B. Automated classification of inflammation in colon histological sections based on digital microscopy and advanced image analysis. Cytometry Part A. 2008 Mar;73A(3):230–7. doi: 10.1002/cyto.a.20527

11. Koch KL. Tissue engineering for neuromuscular disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. World Journal of Gastroenterology. 2012;18(47):6918–25. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i47.6918

12. Saranoviс Dj, Iliс N, Stafanoviс Z, Kasikoviс M. Colonic sphincters-Hirsch's sphincter. Srp Arh Celok Lek. 1991 May-Jun;119(5-6):166–8