Passive diffusion in small intestinal mucosa in childhood

The passive permeability of the small intestinal mucosa in childhood was investigated by studying the penetration of two light‐ and electron‐dense tracer molecules (ruthenium red mol. wt= 1000 and horseradish peroxidase mol. wt = 40000) into fixed biopsy specimens. Ruthenium red confirmed the presence of damaged and extruding epithelial cells in normal mucosa and showed a significant increase in such cells in abnormal mucosa. Horseradish peroxidase demonstrated that antigenically‐sized molecules could enter a proportion of these cells and significantly more cells were penetrated in abnormal mucosa, reflecting the ruthenium red results. Thus, anatomical pathways for passive diffusion of antigen through damaged or extruding cells exist in normal and, to a greater extent, in abnormal small intestinal mucosae in childhood. Further study using living tissue may reveal the importance of this phenomenon in relation to the active uptake of antigen.

[1]  J. Walker-smith.  Toddler's diarrhoea. , 1980, Archives of disease in childhood.

[2]  J. Walker-Smith,et al.  The structure of the enterocyte in relation to its position on the villus in childhood: an electron microscopical study , 1979, Histopathology.

[3]  R. Owen.  Sequential uptake of horseradish peroxidase by lymphoid follicle epithelium of Peyer's patches in the normal unobstructed mouse intestine: an ultrastructural study. , 1977, Gastroenterology.

[4]  J. Walker-smith,et al.  Cows' milk protein intolerance: a possible association with gastroenteritis, lactose intolerance, and IgA deficiency. , 1976, British medical journal.

[5]  Anne KILBY1,et al.  Paediatric small intestinal biopsy capsule with two ports. , 1976, Gut.

[6]  K. Isselbacher,et al.  Uptake and Transport of Macromolecules by the Intestine , 1974 .

[7]  P. Kuitunen.  EUROPEAN SOCIETY FOR PAEDIATRIC GASTROENTEROLOGY , 1974 .

[8]  D. Appleton,et al.  Cell kinetics in flat (avillous) mucosa of the human small intestine , 1973, Gut.

[9]  A. Seligman,et al.  SOME IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES IN 3,3'-DIAMINOBENZIDINE ULTRASTRUCTURAL CYTOCHEMISTRY , 1973, The journal of histochemistry and cytochemistry : official journal of the Histochemistry Society.

[10]  K. Isselbacher,et al.  MACROMOLECULAR ABSORPTION , 1972, The Journal of cell biology.

[11]  J. Luft.  Ruthenium red and violet. I. Chemistry, purification, methods of use for electron microscopy and mechanism of action , 1971, The Anatomical record.

[12]  Karnovsky Mj,et al.  Loss of macromolecular barrier function associated with surgical trauma to the intestine. , 1971 .

[13]  K. Isselbacher,et al.  Small intestinal absorption of horseradish peroxidase. A cytochemical study. , 1971, Laboratory investigation; a journal of technical methods and pathology.

[14]  B. Creamer,et al.  Cell loss from small intestinal mucosa: a morphological study 1 , 1970, Gut.

[15]  B. Creamer,et al.  Cell turnover in the rat small intestinal mucosa: an appraisal of cell loss. , 1969, Gut.

[16]  B. Creamer,et al.  SMALL-BOWEL CELL-LOSS AND WEIGHT-LOSS IN THE CŒLIAC SYNDROME , 1968 .

[17]  D. Liebowitz,et al.  SIGNIFICANCE OF ANTIBODIES TO DIETARY PROTEINS IN THE SERUMS OF PATIENTS WITH NONTROPICAL SPRUE. , 1964, The New England journal of medicine.

[18]  E. Reynolds.  THE USE OF LEAD CITRATE AT HIGH pH AS AN ELECTRON-OPAQUE STAIN IN ELECTRON MICROSCOPY , 1963, The Journal of cell biology.

[19]  R. Cooke,et al.  The gastrointestinal absorption of unaltered protein in normal infants and in infants recovering from diarrhea. , 1955, Pediatrics.

[20]  G. Geyer,et al.  A peroxidase exclusion test for cell viability. , 1978, Acta histochemica.

[21]  R. S. Rhodes,et al.  Loss of macromolecular barrier function associated with surgical trauma to the intestine. , 1971, Laboratory investigation; a journal of technical methods and pathology.