Distribution of antral G‐cells in relation to the parietal cells of the stomach and anatomical boundaries

Abstract

Previous studies involving the mapping of antral G-cells have had little significance because the techniques involved have been tedious, inaccurate, and have concentrated on pathological material, without establishing normal antral anatomy or physiology. We describe a new, reproducible technique for the accurate mapping of antral G-cells, which shows their relationship to the parietal cell mass and the macroscopic antrum-corpus boundary.The antrum of 20 normal, "fresh," postmortem human stomachs was examined by cutting 4-8 longitudinal strips. The macroscopic antrum-corpus boundary (nerve of Latarjet) was identified. Serial section were stained for parietal and G-cells to define the microscopic antrum-corpus boundary.In 4 stomachs, the parietal cells extended to the pylorus. In these, the G-cells were sparse and the antrum as defined by the G-cells was significantly smaller (FYO.01). The G-cell boundary correlated better with the macroscopic boundary than did the parietal cell boundary.This study provides a basis for future quantitative studies on parietal and G-cells in the antrum which should be defined according to both G-cells and parietal cells. Patients with "acid antra" appear to have reduced number of antral G-cells and this may have practical significance for patients undergoing duodenal ulcer surgery.

Cell lineage distribution atlas of the human stomach reveals heterogeneous gland populations in the gastric antrum

“…Naik et al 11 found that while gastrin cells clearly defined the anatomical border of the antrum, parietal cells were present in glands in the anatomical antrum. Nevertheless, perhaps the most detailed study was published in 1975 by Tominaga,36 who reported parietal cells in the antral mucosa of 116 of 118 subjects.…”

“…The human stomach does not have a squamous forestomach region but rather is divided anatomically into three regions: a proximal peri-oesophageal cardia, the glandular body and the antrum 11. Traditionally, these regions have been grossly defined by the positions of the nerves of Latrajet.…”

When Is the Fetus First Capable of Gastric Acid, Intrinsic Factor and Gastrin Secretion?

“…There was a change in the distribution of parietal cells between the fetal and infant specimens with only the oldest infant showing a similar distribution of parietal cells to the fetal specimens, the other 4 agreeing with the 'typical' adult distribution [8], indicating that a change in cell location may occur in the third trimester. The cause of this alteration is unknown, but may be due to neuronal or hor monal influences.…”

Gastric ontogeny: clinical implications

“…7 We have shown that from 13 weeks' gestation these parietal cells are functionally mature with the H+/K+ ATPase in situ,8 and as early as 1929…”