Morphology of the intestine of prefeeding and feeding adult Lampreys, Petromyzon marinus L.: The mucosa of the diverticulum, anterior intestine, and transition zone.

Light and electron microscopy were used to examine the morphology of the mucosa of the diverticulum, anterior intestine, and transition zone in prefeeding and spontaneously feeding adult lampreys (Petromyzon marinus L.). Absorptive (either types A or B), ciliated, and enteroendocrine cells are present in all regions but the diverticulum and anterior intestine also possess zymogen (secretory) cells. Type A absorptive cells are restricted to the diverticulum and the rostral one-third of the anterior intestine and are characterized by abundant mitochondria and an extensive smooth tubular network. Type B absorptive cells, in the remainder of the anterior intestine and the transition zone, possess small numbers of these organelles but in the transition zone also have inclusion bodies. During feeding, abundant lipid droplets and lipoprotein (VLDL) accumulate in the cytoplasm of both types of absorptive cells and in the lateral intercellular and the perivascular spaces. Lipid is present to a limited extent in ciliated cells and is encountered only rarely in enteroendocrine and zymogen cells. Although the animals are obligate sanguivores, there is little evidence of iron within these mucosal cells. It is suggested that intestinal efficiency displayed by this animal is due in part to ion transport in osmoregulation in type A cells, lipid absorption in types A and B cells, and digestion through enzymes in zymogen cells.