GLANDS OF THE STOMACH. 



277 



the other hand, it is of the variety called glandular or 



spheroidal, the cells being oval or somewhat angular, and 



about -r^frtfth. of an inch in diameter. The cells, however, 



do not completely fill up the cavity of the gland which 



they line, but leave a slight, central, thread-like space, the 



immediate lining of which is a layer of small angular cells, 



continuous with the cylindrical epithe- Fig. 71.* 



Hum in the upper portion of the tube. 



This description will become plain on 



reference to fig. 71, which represents 



on a larger scale a longitudinal section 



of one of the glands depicted in fig. 69. 



In the greater number of the glands 



which are branched at their deeper 



extremities, the spheroidal epithelium 



exists in the divisions, while the 



main duct and the upper part of the 



branches are lined by the cylindrical 



variety (fig. 70, e). In the human 



stomach, according to Dr. Brinton, the 



simple undivided tubes are the rule, 



and the branched the exception. 



The varieties in the epithelial cells lining the different 

 parts of the tubes, correspond probably with differences 

 in the fluid secreted by their agency the cylinder-epithe- 

 lium, like that on the free surface of the stomach, being 

 probably engaged in separating the thin alkaline mucus 

 which is always present in greater or less quantity, while 

 the larger glandular cells probably secrete the proper gas- 

 tric juice. 



Near the pylorus there exist glands branched at their 



* Fig. 7 1 . Part of one of the gastric glands, highly magnified, to show 

 the arrangement of the epithelium in its interior ; a, columnar cells lining 

 the upper part of the tube; b, small angular cells, into which these 

 merge below to form a central or axial layer within ; c, the proper 

 gastric or glandular cells (after Brinton). 



