title: Prehepatic portal hypertension produces increased mast cell density in the small bowel and in mesenteric lymph nodes in the rat.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Because most of the characteristics of the portal hypertensive enteropathy can be explained on the basis of increased levels of mast cell mediators, the purpose of the present paper was to study mast cell splanchnic infiltration.
  
  
  METHODS
  Duodenum, jejunum, ileum and mesenteric lymph node complex infiltration by mast cells was assayed by a stereological technique in control rats (group I; n = 5) and in an experimental model of portal hypertension (the portal vein-stenosed rat, group II; n = 5) at 6 weeks after operation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intestinal and mesenteric lymph node complex infiltration by mast cells increased in the animals with partial portal vein ligation. The mast cell density progressively increased distally along the small bowel. The mast cell increase in the mesenteric lymph node complex in portal vein-stenosed rats was greater than in the duodenum (P = 0.001), jejunum (P = 0.006) and ileum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The rise of mast cells density in the small bowel and mesenteric lymph node complex in rats with partial portal vein ligation suggests that these cells are involved in the etiopathogenesis of experimental portal prehepatic hypertensive enteropathy.
authors.affiliation: Surgery I Department, School of Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Prieto
authors.forename: María-Angeles
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Aller
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Santamaría
authors.forename: María-Paz
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Nava
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Madero
authors.forename: Juan-Pedro
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Pérez-Robledo
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arias
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D003097:Collateral Circulation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004386:Duodenum / Q000473:pathology*; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007082:Ileum / Q000473:pathology*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000473:pathology*; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply / Q000503:physiopathology; D008102:Liver Circulation; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D008642:Mesenteric Veins / Q000473:pathology; D008643:Mesentery; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar