Intracellular enzymatic histochemistry of the human stomach with special reference to atrophic gastritis.

Abstract

Lysosomes, the Golgi apparatus and mitochondria were studied in the 4 major types of cells of the mucosa. Of 49 supposedly normal individuals, 53% had moderate to severe gastritis. Histochemical reactions indicate directly the severity of the disease. In atrophic gastritis, a moderate increase in acid phos-phatase activity was demonstrated by both lead sulfide and azo-dye methods, while activity of nicotinamide-adenine-dinucleotidase was minimal in atrophic glands. A marked increase in thiamine-pyrophos-phatase activity was seen in foveolar mucous surface cells in both diffuse and focal gastritis. It is suggested that increased enzymatic activity may represent a change from a primarily secretory mucosa to a primarily absorptive epithelium, resembling normal small intestine mucosa.