The use of computer-aided image analysis in the evaluation of epithelial nuclear area in the digestive tract of rats.

Semiautomatic computer-aided image analysis was used to measure nuclear area of epithelial cells (surface and glandular epithelium) in various parts of digestive tract in rats. In surface epithelium largest nuclei were observed in duodenum and jejunum. In glandular epithelium largest nuclei were found in duodenum. Nuclear area of epithelial cells within normal mucosa of digestive tract shows differences, that seems to be related to localization and resorption activity.