Structure and carbohydrate histochemistry of the intestine in ten teleostean species

The morphology and carbohydrate histochemistry of ten teleostean intestines are compared. Although there is an absence of regional differentiation seen in higher vertebrates, specializations in some species occur in the form of intestinal swellings, pyloric ceca and recta, the latter separated by a valve. The intestinal lumen is lined by a simple columnar epithelium interspersed with goblet cells; multicellular intestinal glands are absent. Thick basement membranes seen in centrarchids and Perca flavescens closely resemble the stratum compactum found in the lamina propria of esocids. Granular cells, which vary in number from species to species, are often seen in the mucosa and submucosa but less frequently in the muscularis. In species with intestino-rectal valves, a rectum is easily defined by the abrupt appearance of lower mucosal folds, more goblet cells and a thicker muscularis. In the remaining species the above features appear gradually in the distal intestine. Goblet cells show species variations in localization of epithelial mucosubstances, which in broad terms are recognized as sulfomucins, sialomucins and neutral mucosubstances. In both proximal and distal intestines the majority of goblet cells contain sialomucin although small amounts of sulfomucin are also often present. In species without intestino-rectal valves, no changes in carbohydrates occur between proximal and distal intestines. The possible significance of the heterogeneous character of digestive tract mucosubstances is discussed.