Figure 4

Morphological changes of the intestine of L. crocea under low temperature stress and during subsequent rewarming. (A,D) Intestine of the control group (×100 and ×400, respectively). The folds of intestinal mucosal were complete, and GCs were scattered among ACs. The submucosa was compact, and the lamina propria was not vacuolated. (B,E) Intestine of the low temperature group (×100 and ×400, respectively). The intestinal mucosa appeared partially broken, the submucosa became wider and the lamina propria became vacuolated, resulting in the increase of intestinal permeability. (C,F) Intestine of the rewarming group (×100 and ×400, respectively). The intestinal mucosa is still broken, vacuolization of the lamina propria is relatively reduced, and the number of GCs in local intestinal mucosa increased, compared with the low temperature (Table 1). Figure note: absorptive cell (AC), goblet cell (GC), lamina propria (LP), width of submucosa (L), vacuolization of lamina propria (asterisk).