title: The disappearing chief cell phenomenon (DCP): a preliminary report.
abstract: The appearance of chief cells was studied in normal dogs and in dogs after anterior and bilateral highly selective vagotomy. The normal chief cell is columnar in shape, with a well-defined cell membrane, basal nucleus and basophilic cytoplasm. Many cells show what has been called the 'disappearing chief cell phenomenon'--DCP. The features of the DCP are striking. There is fragmentation of the cell membrane, loss of cytoplasm, changes in the appearance of the nucleus and actual disappearance of some cells. The parietal cells remain normal. The DCP is seen in normal mucosa and should not be regarded as evidence of chronic gastritis. From this preliminary study it is suggested that the procedure of highly selective vagotomy may have a specific effect on pepsin secreting cells, increasing the amount of the DCP.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D004285:Dogs; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology*; D013217:Starvation / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D014628:Vagotomy; D014629:Vagotomy, Proximal Gastric