title: A morphometric investigation of the duodenal mucosa of normal, vitamin D-deficient, and vitamin D-replete rats.
abstract: Light and electron microscopy were utilized to determine differences in morphology and size in duodenal villi and microvilli from normal, vitamin D-deficient, and vitamin D-replete rats. An increase in villus diameter and surface area was observed in vitamin D-deficient rats. Administration of vitamin D reversed the increase in diameter but the height of villi increased resulting in longer, thinner villi without a significant change in surface area. A decrease in microvillus surface area seen in vitamin D-deficient animals was reversed by the administration of vitamin D.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D004386:Duodenum; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D051381:Rats; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000494:pharmacology; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; D002118:Calcium