REACTION OF RAT INTESTINE MUCOSAL EPITHELIUM ENDOCRINE CELLS TO MELATONIN TREATMENT

Abstract

Objective - to study the content of endocrine cells of intestinal mucosal epithelium in rats receiving different doses of melatonin. Material and methods. The number of argyrophilic, argentaffine, and serotonin-immunoreactive epithelial cells of duodenum, colon and rectum was studied in 30 Wistar rats, divided into 3 subgroups treated with 1, 20 and 100 therapeutic doses of melatonin. Results. It was found that the injection of different doses of melatonin caused increase in the number of argyrophilic, argentaffine, and serotonin-immunoreactive cells in the studied parts of intestine. The changes in the intestinal wall were revealed: a shortening of duodenum villi and colons folds, an increase of the depth of rectal crypts. Conclusion. The detected changes indicate the development of an adaptive reaction of the epithelium, including endocrine cells, to the experimental injection of melatonin.

Keywords

endocrine cells / mucous membrane / intestine / rat / melatonin

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Churkova M.L.