Histogenesis of Duodenum in Human Fetuses

Abstract Background: The duodenum, the first part of the small intestine, has four parts: superior, descending, horizontal, and ascending. It develops during the 4 th week from the caudal foregut, cranial midgut, and splanchnic mesenchyme. Its wall consists of mucosa, submucosa, muscularis externa, and serosa/adventitia. The mucosa contains villi and crypts of Lieberkühn, while the submucosa contains Brunner’s glands and Meissner’s plexus. The muscularis externa has inner circular and outer longitudinal layers with Auerbach’s plexus between them. Duodenum was studied to observe the various histological changes in human fetal duodenum of different gestational weeks (GWs) and to make a comparison of our findings with the available data. Methodology: Duodenum from 65 human fetuses of 12–36 GWs were studied histologically by staining with Hematoxylin and Eosin, Masson’s Trichome, Cresyl violet, and Verhoeff’s and Van Gieson stains.