Effects of fasting on villi along the small intestine: a stereological approach to the problem of quantifying villus 'shape'.
We present stereological methods for establishing the shapes of villi from simple measurements on histological sections. Villi at different intestinal locations are analyzed in control and fasted rats. Villus shape factors are sensitive indicators of the effects of fasting but estimates of villus height alone are not.
D000818:Animals; D005215:Fasting; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008722:Methods; D051381:Rats