Intestinal gland

In histology, an intestinal gland (also crypt of Lieberkühn and intestinal crypt) is a gland found in between villi in the intestinal epithelial lining of the small intestine and large intestine (or colon). The glands and intestinal villi are covered by epithelium, which contains multiple types of cells: enterocytes (digesting and absorbing nutrients and electrolytes), goblet cells (secreting mucus), enteroendocrine cells (secreting hormones), cup cells, tuft cells, and at the base of the gland, Paneth cells (secreting anti-microbial peptides) and intestinalstem cells. Underlying the epithelium of the crypts and villi is the lamina propria, which contains various stromal cells including fibroblasts, myofibroblasts, telocytes, vascular and lymphaticcapillaries, and leukocytes.