THE STOMACH 



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pendicularly side by side throughout the entire substance of the mucous membrane. The sur- 

 face of the mucous membrane of the stomach is covered by a single laver of columnar epithe- 

 lium and a few goblet cells ; it lines the crypts, and also for a certain distance the mouths of the 

 gastric glands; in the glands the character of the epithelium changes- This epithelium com- 



V 



Gastric Areas. 



Rugae. 



FIG. 1000. Mucous membrane of the stomach, from the pars pylorica, viewed from the surface. 



(Spalteholz.) 



X 5. 



mences very abruptly at the cardiac orifice, where the 

 cells suddenly change in character from the stratified 

 epithelium of the oesophagus. 



The Gastric Glands. The gastric glands are of 

 three kinds the true gastric glands, the pyloric 

 glands, and the cardiac glands. 



The true gastric glands (Fig. 1004) are called also 

 the oxyntic glands, the fundus glands, and the peptic 

 glands (glandulae gtutricae propriae). They are dis- 

 tributed throughout the entire fundus and body, and 

 may be found even at the pylorus. They are mainly 

 of the simple tubular variety, and are lined by simple 

 epithelial cells resting upon a delicate basement mem- 

 brane supported by the tunica propria. The duct, or 

 mouth, however, in these glands is shorter than in the 

 other variety, sometimes not amounting to more than 

 one-sixth of the whole length of the gland; it is lined 

 throughout by columnar epithelium. At the point 

 where the terminal tubes open into the mouth, and 

 which is termed the neck, the epithelium alters, and 

 consists of short columnar or polyhedral, granular 

 cells, which almost fill the tube, so that the lumen 

 becomes suddenly constricted, and is continued down 

 as a very fine channel. They are known as the chief 

 or the peptic or the central cells of the glands, and 

 furnish pepsin. Between these cells and the basement 

 membrane are found other darker granular-looking 

 cells, studded throughout the tubes at intervals, and 

 giving it a beaded or varicose appearance. The fun- 

 dus is the blind extremity of the gland, and here the 

 chief cells predominate. These are known as the 

 acid, parietal, or oxyntic cells. Some of the parietal 



Ridges between the alveoli. 



A 



Gastric alveoli. 



FIG. 1001. Mucous membrane of the 

 stomach, from the pars pylorica, viewed 

 from the surface. X 16. (Spalteholz.) 



