TABLE 2.
Ileal gut morphometrics: villus length, crypt depth, and goblet cell density
| Diet or parameter and age (days) | Villus length (μm) | Crypt depth (μm) | Ratio villus/crypt | Goblet/mm2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control diet | ||||
| 8 | 475 ± 64 | 75 ± 7 | 6.3 ± 0.9 | 1,457 ± 347 |
| 15 | 615 ± 70 | 103 ± 11 | 6.0 ± 0.5 | 1,198 ± 140 |
| 22 | 747 ± 167 | 126 ± 20 | 5.9 ± 0.4 | 1,378 ± 290 |
| 35 | 731 ± 110 | 121 ± 17 | 6.0 ± 0.3 | 1,267 ± 243 |
| GOS diet | ||||
| 8 | 505 ± 63 | 79 ± 7 | 6.0 ± 0.8 | 1,707 ± 212 |
| 15 | 676 ± 93 | 113 ± 13 | 5.9 ± 0.5 | 1,450 ± 247 |
| 22 | 687 ± 118 | 118 ± 18 | 5.8 ± 0.3 | 1,616 ± 360 |
| 35 | 789 ± 162 | 126 ± 19 | 6.2 ± 0.6 | 1,394 ± 218 |
| P value | ||||
| 8 | 0.25 | 0.15 | 0.90 | 0.04 |
| 15 | 0.05 | 0.02 | 0.81 | 0.002 |
| 22 | 0.26 | 0.25 | 0.30 | 0.04 |
| 35 | 0.46 | 0.24 | 0.28 | 0.16 |