Direct quantitative estimation of Paneth and total cell populations in the jejunal glands of Lieberkühn.

Direct morphometric estimation of the number of intestinal crypts per 10 mm length of jejunum, the total number of cells per crypt, and the number of Paneth cells per crypt was performed using Zenker-fixed, serially sectioned small intestines from adult BALB/c mice. The mean volume of a crypt cell was estimated to be in the order of 6.6 plus or minus 0.1 times 10-4 mm-3, while the total volume of all cells in a single crypt was 1.833 plus or minus 0.02 times 10-1 mm-3. The cell population per crypt was 278 plus or minus 7 cells, of which 44 plus or minus 10 were Paneth cells. It was estimated further that 265 plus or minus 30 crypts per 10 mm length of jejunum contained 7.4 plus or minus 0.1 times 10-4 cells, including 1.2 plus or minus 0.24 times 10-3 Paneth cells. The volume of all crypt and Paneth cells per 10 mm length of jejunum was in the order of 49 plus or minus 1.2 and 8 plus or minus 1.8 mm-3, respectively. The volume of the tunica muscularis and the surface area of the crypt's lumina were estimated to be 33.5 plus or minus 2.2 mm-3 and 118 plus or minus 19 mm-2, respectively.