Fig. 8. Histology of the mucosal epithelium and liver of ball python. (A) The mucosal epithelium of fasting snakes is a pseudostratified epithelium in which nuclei of enterocytes are arranged in several layers. (B) 24 hafter feeding the enterocytes are loaded with lipid droplets and the epithelium has changed into a single layered epithelium. Note the prominent brush border of the enterocytes. (C) Liver parenchyma of fasting snakes. Hepatocytes are relatively small, and only a few vesicles can be found within them. (D) Liver parenchyme 24 h after feeding. The hepatocytes are loaded with lipid droplets. Scale bars, 50 µm.