Electron microscope studies on the endocrine cells of the human gastric fundus.

In the previous two papers we reported on the occurrence and fine structures of multiple types of basal-granulated or endocrine cells in the human duodenum and pyloric antrum. In duodenal mucosa derived from surgical operations five types of endocrine cells were identified among which EC cells (enterochrmaffin cells) and D-like cells were especially numerous. In the antral mucosa which was taken by biopsy four cell types were differentiated of which G cells or presumed gastrinsecreting cells predominated. Essentially every basal-granulated cell extended its cytoplasm to the lumen of crypts or glands and here the apex of the cell was covered with a tuft of microvilli and showed pinocytotic invaginations and vesicles (KOBAYASHI, FUJITA and SASAGAWA, 1970; SASAGAWA, KOBAYASHI and FUJITA, 1970). In the present study the endocrine cells in the corpus of the human stomach were examined under the electron microscope. Mucous membrane pieces were taken by per oral biopsy under direct observation by a fiber-gastroscope which has recently become popular in the clinic. Our knowledge of the hormones produced in the corpus of the stomach is very poor in comparison to those of the pyloric antrum and small intestine. As to the morphological aspects of the endocrine cells of this region, electron microscope studies on some mammals by the research group in Pavia are available (CAPELLA, SOLCIA and VASSALLO, 1969; VASSALLO, SOLCIA and CAPELLA, 1969). The research group in Lund (AURES, HAKANSON and OWMAN, 1970; HAKANSON et al., 1970) has made extensive studies on amine metabolism in the gastric endocrine cells by means of fluorescence histochemistry. PEARSE and his associates (1970), in their light and electron microscope studies of the human gastro-intestinal mucosa taken during surgical operations, described three different types of "endocrine polypeptide cells" in the gastric fundus. In spite of these valuable contributions, the distribution, structure and natural history of the fundic endocrine type cells are insufficiently known.