Morphological characteristics of the colonic glands in conditions of prolonged possession of vegetarian food

Abstract

The aim is to study the structural characteristics of the colonic glands of adults in conditions of long-term use of vegetarian food. Material and methods. Macro-microscopy was used to study the colonic glands (Lieberkun crypts) of the corpses of four people aged 60-89 years old, who for a long time adhered to a predominant vegetarian diet. Macro-microscopic indices were studied on total colon preparations, microanatomical - after manufacturing paraffin sections stained with hematoxylin-eosin, according to van Gieson, according to Grimalius. Statistical processing of data included the calculation of arithmetic meanings, their errors. The reliability of the differences was estimated by the method of confidence intervals. Results. The analysis revealed significant structural and quantitative features of the glandular apparatus of the colon under conditions of preferential vegetarian nutrition: in comparison with the normative indices (comparison group), the number of glands in the area of 1 mm² in the walls of the blind and ascending colon was increased 1.3 times, the transverse colon 1.4 times, descending colon - 1.5 times, sigmoid - 1.4 times and rectum - 1.7 times. Regardless of the type of food (in both groups of observations), the number of glands, the length of the gland, the amount of epithelial cells on its longitudinal cut decreases in the proximally-distal direction, i.e. from the caecum to the rectum. Conclusion. The analysis revealed a much better development of the glands of the colon with vegetarian food than with its mixed type, which is manifested by a large number, size of glands, the number of epithelial cells in the glands wall.