Abstract

A histochemical and ultrastructural study on the epithelia of some selected digestive tracks such as esophagus, crop, intestine of a land snail N. samarangae was carried out during the period of June 1997 to may 1998. The epithelium of digestive tract are simple columnar epithelium and consisted of five types of columnar cells. Type 1 cell which is majority in number has a brush border with microvilli on the free surface of the cell and contains numerous secretory granules supposed to be neutral mucopolysaccharide. Type 2 cell, elongated conical in shape, is rarely found in the epithelium. This cell also has a brush border with microvilli on its free surface and contains well developed rough surfaced endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi bodies, and secretory granules in various electron densities. This cell seems to produce both of acid and neutral mucopolysaccharides. Type 3 cell, which is morphologically similar to the Type 1 cell, has microvilli and cilia on the free surface and exists in group only in the limited regions of the intestine. Type 4 cell, typical goblet cell containing secretory granules in high electron density. Type 5 cell rarely found in the digestive tract. This cell contain inconspicuous materials.