TRANSMISSION ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY OF MICROVILLI OF INTESTINAL EPITHELIAL-CELLS IN CELIAC-DISEASE IN REMISSION AND TRANSIENT GLUTEN ENTEROPATHY IN CHILDREN AFTER A GLUTEN-FREE DIET

The structure of microvilli of intestinal epithelial cells was investi gated in 70 children: 34 with celiac disease in remission, 28 with tra nsient gluten enteropathy after a gluten-free diet, and eight controls . Transmission electron microscopy was used to determine the mean thic kness of the glycocalyx layer covering the microvilli, the mean length and width of microvilli, and the number of microvilli per 1 mum lengt h of enterocyte surface. The structure of the glycocalyx was found to be intact, but in some children with treated celiac disease the layer of glycocalyx was either thin or absent on the surface of individual c ell microvilli. In children with treated celiac disease, microvilli we re statistically significantly shorter than those in children with tra nsient gluten enteropathy and controls. Microvillous width in treated celiac disease was greater as compared with that in controls. There wa s no difference in the number of microvilli on the enterocyte surface in the three groups.