The stratified squamous epithelium which lines the ruminal compartment of the bovine stomach performs at least three important functions. (1) The upper keratinized layer forms a protective shield against the rough, fibrous, constantly moving ingesta. (2) It is an organ of absorption since a number of substances are absorbed directly through the epithelium. These include short chain fatty acids, potassium, sodium and chloride ions, water, and many others. (3) The cells of the deeper layers metabolize butyric acid and to a lesser extent propionic and acetic acids which are the fermentation products of rumen digestion. Because of the functional characteristics, this epithelium is important in the digestive process of ruminant species which convert large quantities of rough, fibrous feed into energy.Tissue used in this study was obtained by biopsy through a rumen fistula from clinically healthy, yearling holstein steers. The animals had been fed a typical diet of hay and grain and the ruminal papillae were fully developed. The tissue was immediately immersed in 1% osmium tetroxide buffered to a pH of 7.4 and fixed for 2 hrs. The tissue blocks were embedded in Vestapol-W, sectioned with a Porter-Blum microtome with glass knives and stained with lead hydroxide. The sections were studied with an RCA EMU 3F electron microscope.
