QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE CHANGES IN INTESTINAL GOBLET CELLS DURING PRIMARY INFECTION OF TRICHOSTRONGYLUS-COLUBRIFORMIS HIGH AND LOW RESPONDER GUINEA-PIGS

Small intestine goblet cell numbers and the composition of their mucus were compared in guinea pigs with genetically determined differences in responsiveness to Trichostrongylus colubriformis infection. Prior t o infection, no differences between high responder and low responder a nimals were detected. However, following primary infection with T. col ubriformis, pronounced goblet cell hyperplasia developed and the propo rtion of sulphomucin in these cells increased. Both changes developed significantly earlier in high responder animals. (C) 1998 Australian S ociety for Parasitology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.