[Functional interpretation of villous atrophy of the small intestine].

The villosities of the small intestine form a special structure (absorbing enterocytes, functional vascularisation of mucosa), manifestly adapted to the working of the absorption function. As a reciprocal, we propose the hypothesis that the maintenance of villous structures depends on the use of the absorption function and we have classified villous atrophies in three groups, according to their mechanism: by insufficiency of the absorbing enterocytary coating, alteration of the connective tissue and especially of functional vascularisation of mucosa, insufficient absorption (functional regression). Though based on a largely conjectural theoretical conception, this classification corresponds, in fact, to particular aspects of the mucosa as to organization of the connective tissue and especially to maturation of the enterocytary series: it should therefore help pathologists to add to the static appreciation of the hight of villosities and the abondancy of plasmocytes, an appreciation of anatomoclinical syndromes or, at least, of unquestionable lesional mechanism.