l88 NORMAL HISTOLOGY AND ORGANOGRAPHY. 



vene with the chief cells but are placed at the p r - 

 riphery of the glands, and communicate with the 

 central lumen by means of a network of secreting 

 ducts. They are most abundant in the cardiac 

 end of the stomach and along the 

 middle and inner third of each 

 gland. These cells are supposed to 

 have something to do with the se- 

 cretion of hydrochloric acid. The 

 cytoplasm of the chief cells contains 

 granules of pepsinogen, which is 

 converted into pepsin of the gastric 

 juice. During fasting, these gran- 

 ules accumulate, and during, or 

 after, active secretion they become 

 smaller and tend to disappear. 

 The mucosa secretes a varying 

 amount of mucus for the protec- 

 tion of the delicate epithelial sur- 

 face . In many forms of indigestion , 

 and particularly in poison cases, 

 the mucus secretion is very exten- 

 sive and serves to keep the irrita- 

 ting stomach contents away from 

 the epithelial lining. The excess 

 of mucus can be removed by stom- 

 ach lavage. 



The chief difference between the 

 pyloric and cardiac regions of the 

 stomach is found in the mucosa. (i) The crypts in 

 the cardiac end are shallow, while in the pyloric end 

 the crypts frequently extend half way through the 

 thickness of the mucosa. (2) The gastric glands 



Fig. 137. A num- 

 ber of fundus glands 

 from the fundus of 

 the stomach of young 

 dog, stained after 

 the chrome - silver 

 method, showing the 

 system of fine canals 

 surrounding the pa- 

 rietal cells and com- 

 municating with the 

 lumen of the glands 

 (Huber). 



