HA36 shows the typical mucosa of the colon, with many crypts (c) but no villi. At first glance the epithelium appears to be made up exclusively of goblet cells (HA36). However, about half the epithelial cells are absorptive cells. The absorptive cells are inconspicuous because they have been squeezed by the goblet cell cytoplasm. The increase in goblet cells is important functionally.