Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 April 2009
The duodenal mucosa of normal (+/+) and heterozygous tortoiseshell (Moto / +) female mice was analysed by an ultrastructural histochemical copper localization technique. Copper was rarely detected along the duodenal microvilli of + / + female mice. However, copper was localized on the surface of the brush border of the duodenal mucosa and within pinocytotic vesicles at the base of the microvilli of Moto /+ female mice. The mottled defect may involve a defective intestinal uptake of copper, as well as a faulty copper transport mechanism.