Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is an immune reaction against gliaden, a peptide fragment produced from the digestion of gluten. The immune response activates CD8-positive T-cells that destroy enterocytes in the small intestine leading to malabsorption. Histologically, the small intestine in celiac disease is noted for its lack of villi and increased numbers of lymphocytes in the lamina propria. Why would crypt hyperplasia also be observed in celiac disease?

Answer: Crypts are the sites of epithelial stem cells in the intestine. To replace the loss of enterocytes in celiac disease, the number of actively dividing cells in the crypts increases.