Macdonald AA, Mitchell S, Signorella A, Leus K. Ultrastructural characterization of the epithelium that constitutes the cardiac gland epithelial 'honeycomb' in the stomach of the babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa).
C R Biol 2007;
331:32-41. [PMID:
18187120 DOI:
10.1016/j.crvi.2007.10.007]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2007] [Revised: 10/22/2007] [Accepted: 10/25/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The cardiac gland region in the stomachs of eleven babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa) from zoological collections was studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. An array of tightly-packed, thin-walled tubes, closely resembling a 'honeycomb' covered this region. The tubes were between twelve and sixteen cells (200 and 260 microm) in height and usually two cells (8-20 microm) in thickness. Mucus granules present in the cytoplasm of cells in the lower half of the tube were largely absent from the ad-luminal half of the tube. Instead, open goblet-like structures lined the tube, apparently giving additional strength. Bacteria were present in the lumen of each thin-walled tube and in the underlying gland pit. The evidence suggests that this large area of the babirusa stomach may be structured to form a stable, self-refreshing environment to house and multiply autochthonous commensal bacteria.
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