Alterations in cell surface membrane components of adapting rat small intestinal epithelium. Studies with lectins after massive proximal jejunoileal resection and jejunoileal transposition.

After proximal resection or transposition of intestinal segments, the small intestinal mucosa of rats was examined with fluorescein-conjugated lectins derived from Ricinus communis and Triticum vulgare (wheat germ). These agglutinins are thought to be specific for the nonreducing end-terminal carbohydrate residues, beta-D-galactose and beta-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, respectively. After 70% proximal jejunoilealal resection as well as transposition of ileal segments to jejunum, ileal villus cell surface labeling by both lectins was changed to a pattern characteristic of normal rat proximal intestine. Alterations were not detected proximal to the surgical anastomosis after massive resection or in the jejunal segments transposed to ileum. Although the labeling pattern of goblet cell mucin differed in proximal duodenum from the remainder of control small intestine in normal animals, no differences were detected in goblet cell mucin labeling between normal and resected or transposed animals. This study confirms the previously reported differential lectin-labeling patterns of the small intestinal crypt and villus cells and further emphasizes the differences between cell surface carbohydrate and secretory mucins of goblet cells. Furthermore, the changes induced in the cell surface-labeling pattern by massive proximal jejunoileal resection and transposition suggest that cell surface and secretory components may be altered differently during adaptation of the small intestine.