INTRANUCLEAR BODIES AND OTHER CYTOMORPHOLOGIC FEATURES OF THE HORSE JEJUNM MUCOSA

Investigation of the jejunum of horse at the ultra- structure level has clarified some of the unique features of the equine Jejunum. It has a long blunt villi. The intestinal crypts open at the base of the villi. Three types of cells were demonstrated at these Crypts, granular cells, mucous cells and paneth cells: in addition to the columnar and goblet cells. The granular cells form the majority of cells at the initial parts of the crypts and decreased basely. The cell membrane of these cells showed desmosomal junctions. The nuclei of these cells were irregular and some of them showed mitotic figures. The karyoplasm of some nuclei revealed a membrane bound intranulear dense bodies (average diameter (0.2 µm). Some of these bodies had the same electron density as the secretory granules found in the apical cytoplasm and others were electron MISSED WORD. The possible origin of these bodies was discussed. They could be Originated as cytoplasmic granules that may be trapped in the nucleus during mitosis. The mucous cells form most of the cell population at the base of the crypt. Their nuclei were devoid of intranuclear bodies. A condensation of interme- diate filaments was noticed in the mucous cells. They appeared associated with the mucous globules, some of them form a demilune at the edge, some form a dot like at the pole and others form a diameter across the globule. These filaments could play a role in transportation of these globules and or help in evacuation of the cell contents.