Crypts of Lieberkühn

Crypts of Lieberkühn
An intestinal gland from the human intestine.
Latin	glandulae intestinales
Gray's	subject #248 1174
Dorlands/Elsevier	g_06/12392417

The crypts of Lieberkühn (or intestinal glands) are glands found in the epithelial lining of the small intestine and colon. Named after the 18th-century German anatomist Johann Nathanael Lieberkühn, the crypts secrete various enzymes, including sucrase and maltase, along with endopeptidases and exopeptidases. Loss of proliferation control in the crypts is thought to lead to colorectal cancer.

The basal portion of the Crypt contains multipotent stem cells. At each mitosis one daughter remains a stem cell while the other differentiates and migrates up the side of the crypt and eventually the villus. Goblet cells are among the cells produced in this fashion.

Additional images

different stages of Coeliac Disease

General structure of the gut wall.

External links

• Illustration at trinity.edu
• Illustration at kumc.edu
• Illustration at uokhsc.edu
• synd/2651 at Who Named It
• intestinal+glands at eMedicine Dictionary

Anatomy of torso, digestive system: Gastrointestinal tract
Upper GI: to stomach	Mouth • Pharynx (nasopharynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx) • Esophagus • Crop
Upper GI: stomach	rugae - gastric pits - cardia/gland - fundus/gland - pylorus/gland - pyloric antrum - pyloric canal - greater curvature - lesser curvature - angular incisure
Lower GI: intestines	Small intestine: Duodenum (Suspensory muscle, Major duodenal papilla, Minor duodenal papilla) • Duodenojejunal flexure • Jejunum • Ileum • continuous (intestinal villus, crypts of Lieberkühn, circular folds) Junction: Vermiform appendix • Ileocecal valve Large intestine: Cecum • Colon (ascending colon, hepatic flexure, transverse colon, splenic flexure, descending colon, sigmoid colon) • continuous (taenia coli, haustra, epiploic appendix)
Lower GI: termination	Rectum: Houston valve • rectal ampulla • pectinate line Anal canal: anal valves • anal sinuses • anal columns • Hilton's white line Anus: Sphincter ani internus muscle • Sphincter ani externus muscle
Lower GI: lymph	GALT: Peyer's patches (M cells)