THE GASTRIC JUICE AND STOMACH DIGESTION. 155 



Fig. 45. 



parts, up to the point where they join the wider tube leading to the 

 surface. 



These spheroidal cells have been designated by the name of " pepsine 

 cells," and the glandular follicles con- 

 taining them as " peptic glands," from 

 a supposition that they are exclusively 

 concerned in the production of the 

 essential organic ingredient of the gas- 

 tric juice. Opinions, however, are 

 divided upon this point. The follicles 

 in question contain both the so-called 

 "pepsine cells" and the smaller cells 

 of glandular epithelium ; the two kinds 

 of cells being found associated in the 

 same follicles over a large portion of 

 the stomach. It is only in the pyloric 

 region that the follicles contain cells 

 of the smaller variety alone. It is 

 acknowledged by all that by the action 

 of glycerine a substance having the 

 properties of pepsine may be extracted 

 from the middle or cardiac portions of 

 the gastric mucous membrane, and not 

 from the pyloric portion. But Ebstein 

 has shown 1 , that, if two digestive fluids 

 be prepared by macerating the gastric 

 mucous membrane in water acidulated 

 with hydrochloric acid, using for one 

 the pyloric portion and for the other the 

 middle portion, both of these fluids pos- 

 sess under similar conditions, digestive properties which are the same in 

 kind, and differ only in degree. The principal distinction between the 

 two kinds of cells, according to the same observer, is that the substance 

 of the cylindrical cells becomes cloudy and shrivelled by the action of 

 acids generally ; while that of the spheroidal cells is thus affected only 

 by mineral acids, acetic acid, on the contrary, causing them to become 

 swollen and transparent. From this it is concluded that the smaller 

 cells contain a substance like mucosine, while the larger consist of 

 materials more closely resembling albumen. 



It cannot therefore be said with certainty, that either the larger cells 

 or the follicles containing them produce exclusively either the pepsine 

 or the acid of the gastric juice. No doubt the follicles in different por- 

 tions of the stomach differ from each other more or less, in function as 

 well as in appearance ; but it is not yet possible to determine the exact 

 nature of the differences between them. By the combined action of all 



COMPOUND GASTRIC FOLLICLE, 

 from the Cardiac portion of human 

 stomach. 1. Excretory tube, leading 

 to the surface. 2. Tubular follicles, 

 containing spheroidal cells. (Kolliker.) 



1 Archiv fur Mikroskopische Anatomie, 1870, vi. p. 515. 



