title: Association of glycoproteins and pepsinogen in the secretory granules of fundic epithelial cells isolated from guinea pig stomach.
abstract: Epithelial cells were isolated from the fundic portion of the guinea pig stomach. Cells were separated by velocity sedimentation at unit gravity in a Ficoll 70 gradient and pooled in three fractions. By morphological and biochemical criteria, each fraction was characterized as a population highly enriched in one of the three main functional types: oxyntic cell; chief cell and mucus-secreting cell. Measure of the pepsinogen content and specific stainings of the secretory granules for light and electron microscopy led to the definition of two types of mucus-secreting cells in nearly equal quantity: mucous cells with smaller secretory granules entirely glycoproteic in nature and muco-peptic cells containing larger heterogeneous secretory granules. These granules were made of a proteic core containing pepsinogen surrounded by a thin membrane and a voluminous cap, both containing carbohydrates. The cap appeared as if built of orderly packed layers of glycoproteins. Secretory granules of chief cells were also surrounded by a membrane containing glycoproteins and occasionally a small glycoproteic cap. Pepsinogen content was estimated to be three times higher in a single chief cell than in a muco-peptic cell.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000378:metabolism*; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D005748:Gastric Fundus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male; D010435:Pepsinogens / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006023:Glycoproteins; D010435:Pepsinogens