ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the ultrastructure of the human gastrointestinal system and, specifically, the interactions among mast cells (MC), eosinophils (E), smooth muscle and nerves in human disease. In all muscle coats of the human adult normal gastrointestinal system, the ultrastructural morphology of Smooth muscle cells is similar. A range of morphologic expressions indicative of functional states can be seen in E in gastrointestinal biopsies in human disease. In addition to the morphologic changes associated with functional states in non-injured cells, E may themselves undergo necrosis in the human gastrointestinal tract. Human gut MC in properly obtained biopsy material, in isolated cellular suspensions, or in surgically removed large specimens are remarkably stable cells that generally do not show evidence of cell injury or necrosis. The presented material was gathered over a period of years and includes 417 human gastrointestinal samples examined by electron microscopy and alkaline Giemsa-stained one-micron plastic sections viewed by light microscopy.
