Effect of hyperthermia on the small intestinal mucosa: an ultrastructural study

ABSTRACT

Fifteen Swiss albino male rats were used to study the effect of hyperthermia on the mucosa of the small intestine. Five rats were used as a control group. The other 10 rats were exposed to humid air at 43C for 2 hours/day. Five animals were sacrificed after 24 hours and the other five were sacrificed after one week. After 24 hours, the microvilli were low and conical in shape reflecting a primary effect on the cytoskeleton of the cells. One week post-hyperthermia, abnormal stacking of enterocytes, swollen mitochondria, dilated rER, thickening of the terminal web and damages in the endothelial cells of the blood capillaries were seen