Peyer's patches and the follicle-associated epithelium in diarrheic calves. Pathomorphology, morphometry and acid phosphatase histochemistry.

Twelve 2–5-week-old calves affected with a spontaneous intestinal disorder were examined; 8 had diarrhea and 4 were convalescents. In all the affected calves the “pseudovilli” (syn. domes or lymphoid villi) over Peyer’s patches seemed atrophic and appeared enclosed within the mucosa, owing to fusion of ordinary villi with “pseudovilli”. Morphometric examination showed a decrease of lymphoid follicle length in the affected calves as compared with controls (P < 0.01). Convalescents showed longer follicles than diarrheic calves (P<0.05). Often cytoplasmic acid phosphatase of the follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) in affected calves did not show the marked basal-apical decrease along “pseudovillus”, typical of the controls. Scanning electron microscopy revealed sparse development of concentric folds in the luminal plasma membrane of the enclosed FAE, contrasting with their abundance in the normal FAE. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the “pseudovilli” had increased numbers of ordinary villous epithelial cells. Affinity of chlamydia for FAE was shown. It is suggested that the sparse occurrence of surface folds in the FAE and the change in acid phosphatase distribution indicate diminished endocytosis of antigenic material, probably resulting from the enclosure of “pseudovilli”. The atrophy of lymphoid follicles may be another expression of the probable decreased contact with the intestinal contents.