GASTRIC MUCOSAL VULNERABILITY UNDER COMBINED MICRONUTRIENT DEPLETION: AN EXPERIMENTAL MORPHOLOGICAL STUDY

The article presents an experimental morphological and morphometric study of gastric mucosal vulnerability under combined deficiency of magnesium, iron, zinc, and selenium. The study was performed on 3- and 6-month-old white outbred rats. Morphological, morphometric, and immunohistochemical changes of the stomach were evaluated, including mucosal thickness, gastric pit depth, glandular density, number of parietal and chief cells, and Ki-67 expression. The most pronounced structural damage was observed in animals with combined Mg, Fe, Zn, and Se deficiency. These changes were characterized by thinning of the gastric mucosa, deformation of gastric pits, reduced glandular density, decreased number of secretory cells, vascular disorders, inflammatory infiltration, and disorganized epithelial renewal. The findings indicate that combined micronutrient depletion significantly reduces the structural resistance of the gastric mucosa.