Fig. 3

Photomicrographs of jejunal tissue of the control and treated groups (H&E). a, c Jejunal tissue of control and GABA-treated rats showing normal appearance of the jejunal mucosa with finger-like projections of the villi (V) and normal crypts of Lieberkühn (arrow head) in between the bases of the villi. Enterocytes appeared with normal tall columnar cells and oval basal nuclei; normal goblet cells (arrow) appeared in between the enterocytes (X 100). b, d Jejunal tissue of control and GABA-treated rats showing normal Paneth cells with their pyramidal shaped and broad base setting on the basement membrane. Paneth cells appeared narrow towards the apical end with their prominent eosinophilic granules at the base of Lieberkühn crypts (×200, ×400). e, f Jejunal tissues of IR group showing shortened and thickened villi with marked degenerative changes in the epithelial cells. The lamina propria showed congestion, oedema, increased cellularity, and hemorrhage. Few goblet and Paneth cells were seen. Mucosa showed sub-epithelial space at the apex of some villi with capillary congestion; other villi showed massive lifting of the epithelial layer from the lamina propria. Some denuded villi with exposed lamina propria and dilated capillaries were seen (×100, ×200). g Jejunal tissues of IR + GABA group showing normal villi, but some villi showed apical regions of sub-epithelial lifting with decreased number of goblet cells (×100)