Gross, microscopic and ultrastructural study of the intestinal tube of Xenodon merremii Wagler, 1824 (Ophidia).
The small and large intestines of Xenodon merremii have a similar structure. They are separated by a sphincter of thickened circular muscle. The mucosa of the proximal part of the small intestine is raised into a honeycomb pattern, but distally there are only longitudinal folds. The lining epithelium throughout is of a simple columnar type, with absorptive, goblet, argentaffin and argyrophil cells, but no Paneth cells, villi or crypts of Lieberkühn are present.
D000818:Animals; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007420:Intestine, Large / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D007422:Intestines / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012911:Snakes / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling