Histological, Histochemical and Ultra Structural Studies of Ileum of Goat (Capra hircus)

The tissues from ileum were collected from six young goats and processed for light microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopic studies. The villi of the ileum varied in shape and size. These were lined by simple columnar epithelium with few goblet cells. The intestinal glands were simple tubulo-acinar type having simple cuboidal to low columnar epithelium. Lamina muscularis mucosae was thin and interrupted. The submucosa was having loose irregular connective tissue and occupied by lymphoid nodules or Peyer's patches consisted of follicles of various shapes and size. Tunica muscularis had inner circular and outer longitudinal layers of smooth muscles. Histochemical studies presented presence of glycogen and acidic and neutral mucopolysaccharides in the intestinal glands. The scanning electron microscopy showed tongue shaped villi with distinctive corrugation on its surface. The transmission electron microscopy showed presence of simple columnar cells with microvilli in surface epithelium. The cryptal epithelium was having Paneth, enterochromaffin and goblet cells.