Findings

The absorptive cells lining the digestive tract is a simple columnar epithelium. At the light level, the apical microvilli of these absorptive cells are not resolved and appear as a brush border. Note the mucus-secreting goblet cell and the lamina propria (i.e. loose connective tissue of mucosa) containing capillaries and fibroblasts subjacent to the epithelium.

Comment

A well-defined brush border is also found in the proximal convoluted tubules of the kidney cortex but renal tubules are lined by simple cuboidal epithelium, not the simple columnar epithelium found in the digestive tract.

Preparation

Paraffin section, hematoxylin and eosin

View

High-power light microscopy

Specimen

Portion of villus from small intestine

Image Credit

V. Eroschenko, Ph.D.
Department of Biological Sciences
WAMI Medical Program
University of Idaho