Fig. 2

Barley leaf (BL) enhances colonic motility and improves mucosal barrier function. a–i Mice were fed with a standard chow diet (CD) or an isocaloric BL-supplemented diet for two weeks. a Representative images of hematoxylin and eosin-stained colonic sections. The right panels were enlarged from the left panels. Scale bar = 200 μm (left) and 100 μm (right). b Crypt height and c muscular layer width in the colon of CD- and BL-fed mice were quantified (n = 12). d Fecal pellet output and e gut transit time of CD- and BL-fed mice were measured (n = 8). f Representative images of scanning electron microscopy of the colonic mucosal surface. Scale bar = 500 μm. g Representative images of alcian blue-stained colonic sections and the number of mucus­producing goblet cells was quantified (n = 12). Scale bar = 100 μm. h Representative images of Muc2-stained colon sections and the number of Muc-2-positive goblet cells was quantified (n = 12). Scale bar = 100 μm. i Representative images of transmission electron microscopy of the mucin granules (M) in colonic goblet cells. Scale bar = 5 μm. Data are pooled from three independent experiments. Data are mean ± SEM. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, and ****P < 0.0001. Statistical analysis was performed using Student’s t test