[Morphometry and kinetics of jejunal epithelium in rats with niacin deficiency]

In niacin deficient rats, it was performed a kinetic and morphometric study of jejunal epithelium. It was observed that the deficient animals showed less villosity (515.1 mu x 570.1 mu; p less than 0.008), enterocyte (35.3 mu x 38.5 mu; p less than 0.004) and mitotic index (4.4% x 5.7%; p less than 0.001) and bigger crypt (238.0 mu x 186.1 mu; p less than 0.001) and cellular renovation time (22.9h x 17.8h; less than 0.001) according to control animals. It is suggested that NAD (nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide) deficiency can be responsible for the observed alterations.