Mucus thickness in the gastrointestinal tract of laboratory animals

摘要: Objectives  The objective of this study was to systematically assess the mucus thickness in gastrointestinal tract laboratory animals commonly used preclinical studies. Methods  Mucus studied post-mortem rat, rabbit and pig, using cryosections stained by modified periodic acid Schiff/Alcian blue method. Key findings  fundus region stomach higher pig (190.7 ± 80.7 µm) than (155.1 ± 85.8 µm) rat (31.3 ± 11.4 µm). However, along small intestine (ileum), thicker (147.8 ± 115.6 µm), followed (53.8 ± 22.1 µm) (34.1 ± 14.9 µm). This rank order also observed ascending colon. Conclusions  Inter-species variability gut demonstrated suggests that resembles more closely pattern humans. may be highly relevant when animal models are drug absorption studies or development oral mucoadhesive delivery systems.