Morphometry and quantification of the myenteric neurons of the duodenum of adult rats fed with hypoproteic c how

ABSTRACT

Morphometric and quantitative analyses were carried out on the myenteric neurons of the duodenum, to study possible alterations resulting from a supply of low-protein level chow to adult Wistar rats. The animals were divided in two groups nourished (N) fed with ration containing 22 per cent protein for 210 days and the undernourished (D) fed with ration containing 8 per cent protein from the 90th day of age on and during the next 120 days. Whole-mounts were stainedby the method of Giemsa and the histochemical reaction of NADH-diaphorase enzyme, to estimate the neuronal population, which revealed a greater neuronal density in undernourished rats, regardless of the technique employed. The morphometric studies of the cell body profiles of 500 neurons of each group indicated a reduction on the cell body size and an increase on the proportion of small neurons on the rats subjected to the hypoproteic chow.