Comparative features of the mucous glands in the gastroduodenal junction in guinea pigs and chinchillas: microanatomy and histochemistry

Abstract Background: Mucous glands from the gastroduodenal junction are briefly represented by glandular cells in the stomach and by Brunner’s glands in the duodenum. The aim of the study was to describe the main histological/histochemical features of the gastroduodenal junction in guinea pigs and chinchillas. Results: The material was represented by tissue samples collected from the stomach and duodenum processed by paraffin technique. Histological sections were stained by Goldner’s trichrome stain, while mucous content was identified by Periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) stain (for neutral mucosubstances) and Alcian blue stain (for acid mucosubstances). In guinea pig, the pyloric glands were positive for both mucus types, whereas in chinchillas a low amount of mucin was identified. The Bruner glands, in guinea pigs displayed a weak reaction for the both mucin types. In chinchillas, the Bruner glands showed a significantly higher amount of PAS and Alcian blue-positives mucosubstances types. As observed, a higher amount of neutral mucus was identified in the pyloric glands in guinea pigs comparing to chinchillas. Contrariwise, chinchillas displayed a suggestively higher amount of mucus in Bruner glands comparing to guinea pigs. Conclusions: Concluding, this is the first report describing the comparative features of the mucous glands in the two rodents, with detailed histological and histochemical features.