THE ABDOMEN 



7^i 



It is thickest towards the pyloric end, and in healthy adults it has a 

 light crimson colour, while in early life this is heightened into a bright 

 rosy tint. After death, however, it presents a mottled appearance, 

 being marked with grey- brown patches. When examined w ith a lens, 

 it presents a great number of polygonal depressions, varying in 

 diameter from y^^ to gi-^ inch, the largest being near the pylorus. 

 These impart to it a honeycomb appearance. The mucous mem- 

 brane surrounding them is elevated into ridges by subjacent capillary 

 networks, and in the region of the pylorus these ridges present 

 processes, called pliccB villosce. The polygonal depressions are beset 

 with minute pores. 



Duct 



which are the orifices 

 of the gastric glands. 

 These glands, which 

 belong to the tubular 

 variety, are placed per- 

 pendicularly in the 

 mucous coat, and are 

 closely packed together 

 like upright stakes. 

 They are of two kinds, 

 cardiac and pyloric, 

 between which there 

 are certain differences. 

 The cardiac glands 

 are situated in the 

 cardiac two- thirds. 

 The duct of each forms 

 about one- third of the 

 entire length of the 

 gland. It is lined 

 with a single layer of 

 columnar epithelium. 

 The deep end of the 

 duct is connected with 

 two or three gland- 

 tubes, which represent 



y Mucosa with Cardiac Glands 



Muscularis Mucosae 



^^-^^^^g 



Submucosa 



Muscular Coat 



Peritoneal Coat 



Fig. 335. — The Cardiac Glands of the 

 Stomach (highly magnified). 



two- thirds of the entire gland. Each gland-tube is divisible into 

 a neck, body, and fundus. The neck is the part connected with 

 the duct, and it forms one- third of the length of the gland- 

 tube. It is narrower than the body, and is lined with coarsely 

 granular polyhedral cells, which almost completely fill it, thus 

 leaving a very small lumen. These are called the central or 

 chief cells. Between these and the basement membrane there 

 are interposed large oval or spherical granular cells, each having a 

 clear nucleus. These, which are called the parietal or oxyntic (' acid- 

 forming ') cells, do not form a continuous layer, but are placed at 

 intervals, and they give rise to small swellings on the wall of the 

 neck. The body is wider than the neck, and forms two-thirds of 



