Enterocytes in the follicle-associated epithelia of rabbit small intestine display distinctive lectin-binding properties.

Glycoconjugate expression in follicle-associated epithelia has been examined by application of a panel of lectins to fixed preparations of rabbit small intestine, including Peyer's patches. Each of the lectins examined (wheat germ agglutinin, peanut agglutinin, Ulex europaeus agglutinin I and Bandeiraea simplicifolia agglutinin II) exhibited a lower affinity for the apical surface of the specialised M cells than to columnar enterocytes within the Peyer's patch follicle-associated epithelium. Peanut agglutinin differed from the other lectins examined in that it displayed a markedly higher affinity for enterocytes within the follicle-associated epithelium than the neighbouring villi. This observation reveals that the specialised development of the follicle-associated epithelium involves expression of distinctive surface properties within the enterocyte population in addition to the more widely documented heterogeneous development of enterocytes and the specialised M cells.