[The centrosome structure in enterocytes in the histogenesis of the mouse intestine]

We studied characteristics of the centrosome during histogenesis of epithelium of the middle region of the mouse embryo gut. We demonstrated that between days 11 and 13 of embryonic development, the middle gut region is formed by a single-layer plasmatic epithelium, at day 14 it consists of multi-layer sheet of cuboid cells (at this period morphological separation of gut layers takes place), and at day 16 the whole mucosa consists of a single layer plasmatic epithelium. At this time, matter of membrane of adjacent cells produce tight junctions and never form desmosomes. During enterocyte differentiation, the Golgi complex moves from the apical part of the cell towards the nucleus and is always spatially uncoupled from the centrosome. From day 11 to day 13 of embryonic development, the active centriole of the centrosome in the majority of cells of epithelium of the intestinal tube represents the basal body of the primary cilium, which is located in the apical part of cells and is often directed towards the gut lumen. Replication of cells takes place independently of the presence or absence of the cilium. From day 13 to day 15 of embryonic development, the number of enterocytes possessing the cilium decreases, and in a number of cells the centriole only produces a contact with the internal membrane vesicle or with the plasma membrane ("stump"). At day 6 of embryonic development, no cells possessing cilium can be found. It is proposed that the change in the outer structure of the centrosome can serve as an early marker of cell differentiation.