The effect of intestinal distension and of section thickness on counts of epithelial nuclei in the rat small intestine

A method is described for counting nuclei in wax‐embedded histological sections of epithelium. The counts are independent of section thickness over a wide range (4–10 μm). Counts of nuclei were made in villi and crypts of rat small intestine fixed either collapsed or distended by a hydrostatic pressure equivalent to 350 mm of water. There was no significant difference between the counts of nuclei in collapsed or distended gut. Distension reduced the absolute height of villi, and increased their absolute width at the base. The implications of these findings for studies of the morphological basis of intestinal adaptation are discussed. 1975 Blackwell Science Ltd