The VH and CD were measured using a linear ocular micrometer (Olym- pus, Microplanet, Barcelona, Spain).
The same villus and crypt columns were used to determine the number of IEL expressed as absolute values and per 100 enterocytes. Intravillus lamina propria cell density was determined by counting total visibly stained nuclei in 10 fields(total are a of 4000 mm 2) from each section using a grid ocular (Olympus, Microplanet).
Cell density was expressed as number of total stained cells per 1000 mm2.
All the morphometric analyses were conducted by the same person, who was blinded to the treatments.