Morpho-histochemistry of the distal intestines and rectum of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

Abstract

The morphology of the farmed African catfish distal intestines and rectum was investigated. The samples were dissected out and the tissue slices were passed through graded ethanol, cleared in xylene, embedded in paraffin wax, sectioned and stained for light microscopy. Grossly, the intestine was subdivided into proximal, middle, distal and rectal regions based on palpable thickness and diameter of the regions. No intestino-rectal valve was observed; hence the rectum was not well defined. The histology revealed the presence of tunica mucosa of simple columnar cells, lamina propria of collagen fibres and muscularis mucosae of smooth muscle fibres; submucosa of loose connective tissues and blood vessels; tunica muscularis of smooth muscles in an inner circular and outer longitudinal arrangement; and a serosa in all regions except the rectum and anus that presented tunica adventitia. The mucosal folds were fingerlike to orange leaf shaped ingrowths into the lumen on a transverse section. They decreased in complexity and height but increased in width towards the rectum. The lining epithelium of the intestinal tract was comprised of the absorptive simple columnar cells containing goblet cells and intraepithelial lymphocytes. Some rectal simple columnar epithelium contained supranuclear vacuoles while others contained non-vacuolated cytoplasm. The goblet cells contained neutral and acid mucins, and increased in number progressively towards the rectum. The anal tunica muscularis contained mostly skeletal muscles.

Keywords

• histology
• histochemistry
• intestine
• farmed African catfish