histology Histology, also known as microscopic anatomy or microanatomy, is the branch of biology which studies the microscopic anatomy of biological tissues. Histology is the microscopic counterpart to gross anatomy, which looks at larger structures vis ...

, cryptitis refers to

inflammation Inflammation (from la, wikt:en:inflammatio#Latin, inflammatio) is part of the complex biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or Irritation, irritants, and is a protective response involving im ...

of an

intestinal crypt In histology, an intestinal gland (also crypt of Johann Nathanael Lieberkühn, Lieberkühn and intestinal crypt) is a gland found in between villi in the intestinal epithelium lining of the small intestine and large intestine (or colon). The gland ...

. Cryptitis is a non-specific histopathologic finding that is seen in several conditions, e.g.

inflammatory bowel disease Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of inflammation, inflammatory conditions of the colon (anatomy), colon and small intestine, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis being the principal types. Crohn's disease affects the small intestine a ...

diverticular disease Diverticular disease is when problems occur due to diverticulosis, a condition defined by the presence of pouches in the wall of the large intestine (diverticula). This includes diverticula becoming inflamed ( diverticulitis) or bleeding. Colonic ...

, radiation colitis, infectious colitis.

Additional images

File:Cryptitis intermed mag.jpg, Cryptitis.

H&E stain Hematoxylin and eosin stain ( or haematoxylin and eosin stain or hematoxylin-eosin stain; often abbreviated as H&E stain or HE stain) is one of the principal tissue stains used in histology. It is the most widely used stain in medical diagnos ...

. File:Colitis_with_granuloma_high_mag.jpg, Focal cryptitis and a

granuloma A granuloma is an aggregation of macrophages that forms in response to chronic inflammation. This occurs when the immune system attempts to isolate foreign substances that it is otherwise unable to eliminate. Such substances include infectious ...

. File:Colitis_with_granuloma_intermed_mag.jpg, Focal cryptitis and a

. File:Cryptitis -- very high mag.jpg File:Histopathology of a crypt abscess.jpg, Crypt abscess. H&E stain.

References

{{reflist, 2 Inflammations Gastrointestinal tract disorders