Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.2.1.108 (lactase)
 2,133 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Data are presented on scanning electron microscopy (SEM) on small intestinal biopsies of children with chronic diarrhea. In particular, there were 230 patients aged 3 months to 13 years with the following diagnoses: chronic nonspecific diarrhea, cow's milk protein intolerance, soy protein intolerance, giardiasis, cystic fibrosis, gluten-sensitive enteropathy, isolated lactase deficiency, isolated sucrase-isomaltase lactase deficiency, microvillus inclusion disease, rotavirus enteritis, protracted diarrhea of infancy, chylomicron retention disease, visceral myopathy and villous asthenia. Examination of biopsied intestinal mucosa by SEM has yielded important new information and insights on structural pathology and ultrastructural topography. Many of the observed changes helped to better understand the pathophysiology of some of the diarrheal disorders. SEM was also able to detect new features such as mycoplasma-like microorganisms and the absence of the glycocalyx. To adequately assess small bowel mucosal pathology at the ultrastructural level, scanning electron microscopy is an indispensable tool.
 ...
PMID:The scanning electron microscope: how valuable in the evaluation of small bowel mucosal pathology in chronic childhood diarrhea? 182 28

Investigations by scanning electron microscopy into changes of surface morphology of small bowel mucosa in children with chronic nonspecific diarrhea are reported. The study population comprised 56 patients, ranging in age from 5 months to 7 years; 65% were between 10 and 28 months old, and 64% of the patients were boys. The major findings were: microorganisms on the mucosal surface; excessive extrusion of cell cytoplasm and of enterocytes (cell shedding); presence of excessive mucus on the mucosal surface; damage to the brush border; and partial villous atrophy. The latter lesion was found in only four patients. All these changes are considered pathologic and, for the most part, are presumed to be due to the presence of antigens, in particular, microorganisms. A depression of disaccharidase activities was encountered in 64% of the patients, but prevalence was without regard to age. Most common was a combined depression of lactase, sucrase, and maltase, as well as an isolated depression of lactase. The possibility has to be considered that enteroadherent microorganisms which are usually not considered pathogenic, and microorganisms such as Mycoplasma, may emerge as intestinal pathogens in susceptible children. It is feasible that genetic traits of the host and environmental factors facilitate adherence and colonization of the small bowel mucosa which, in turn, produces chronic diarrhea. Further studies are needed to confirm the preliminary information contained in this report.
 ...
PMID:Chronic nonspecific diarrhea in children: investigation of the surface morphology of small bowel mucosa utilizing the scanning electron microscope. 688 51