bstract: Objective: The project aimed to study the relationship between paneth and stem cells in the developed small intestine of rabbits. Methodology: To conduct this investigation, 48 offspring rabbits at different postnatal ages (1, 10, 15 and 40 days) were collected and set equally into four groups. Results: Microscopic findings revealed absence of paneth cells in the crypts of small intestine of one day aged kits. In 10 days aged suckling puppies and subsequent ages, paneth cells were detected with variable size, structure and density of their cellular granules in relation to different ages and their maturity. Micromorphometric measurements showed lowest mean diameter of paneth cell at the age of 10 days in jejunum and the highest was at the age of 15 days in duodenum. The number of paneth cells was increased with age progress in three segments of small intestine but the lowest mean number of them was at the age of 10 days in duodenum and ileum but the highest was at the age of 40 days in jejunum. The Lgr5 positive intestinal stem cells found at the bases of the villi and at inter-villus spaces even in kits. In 10 days aged suckling puppies, few numbers of mitotic figures was detected in some newly formed crypts. At subsequent ages, a dramatic increase in the number of mitotic figures was recorded in the crypts of Lieberkühn. Conclusion: It can be concluded that paneth cells may enhance the process of intestinal stem cell mitosis and subsequently the growth of the intestine.
عمار غانم محمد الحائك | Ammar Ghanim Mohammed Alhaaik | 10467