glands of large intestine

Definition: tubules of mucosal epithelium, perpendicular to the luminal surface that appears sievelike because of the abundance of gland openings; glands are lined with short columnar epithelial cells—mostly goblet cells with interspersed water-absorbing and fewer enteroendocrine cells; the glands of the large intestine are longer (deeper), more abundant, more closely apposed and have a higher density of goblet cells (but no Paneth cells) compared with glands of the small intestine.

Synonym(s): glandulae intestini crassiTA, crypts of Lieberkühn of large intestine

See Also: glands of small intestine

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