Histology Atlas of the Developing Mouse Digestive System With Emphasis From Prenatal Day 7.5 Through Early Postnatal Development.

This article focuses on the development of the digestive system in mice from embryonic day 7.5 through early postnatal stages, providing a detailed histological atlas to support research on normal and abnormal gastrointestinal (GI) development. It describes the formation and maturation of the upper and lower digestive tracts—including the oral cavity, esophagus, stomach, intestines, pancreas, and salivary glands—highlighting key morphological milestones and cellular differentiation events. The atlas emphasizes the utility of the common outbred CD-1 mouse strain as a model due to its developmental similarity to humans and includes high-resolution, annotated images of hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and immunohistochemically stained sections. Additionally, the article reviews common congenital GI defects in mice, such as atresias, fistulas, and organ hypoplasia, linking these phenotypes to underlying developmental processes and genetic factors, thereby providing a resource for identifying and characterizing digestive system abnormalities in biomedical research.