JEJUNAL BIOPSY FINDINGS IN HEALTHY YOUNG MEN

Twenty-one biopsies were obtained with a Crosby-Kugler biopsy capsule from the proximal jejunal mucosa in 21 healthy young men, 19-24 years old. One-half of the biopsy specimen was fixed in formalin and evaluated by surface microscopy. After furtherformalin fixation, the specimen was embedded in paraffin and stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Cryostat sections from the other half of the specimen were incubated in a solution containing Nitro-BT, phosphate buffer, and the specific substrates to demonstrate the activity of SD, LD, G-6-PD, NAD, and NADP, respectively. Mucosal measurements were performed in the cryostat sections with a micro-meter. Histologically, 12 subjects were classified into Group I with long and slender villi, of which 10 showed finger-and two leaf-shaped villi by surface microscopy. The remaining nine cases were classified into Group II with branched and fused villi histologically. Out of these subjects, six showed leaf- and three finger- shaped villi by surface microscopy. Normal activity of LD, NAD and NADP was found in all cases, whereas a moderately decreased activity of SD and G-6-PD seemed to be present in the biopsies from two and four subjects, respectively, in each group. No significant differences were obtained between the mucosal measurements in the two groups. © 1968 Informa UK Ltd.