Gastric chief cell

Gastric Chief Cell

File:Gastric chief cell.jpg

A gastric chief cell

The Gastric Chief Cell (also known as Parietal Cell) is a type of cell located in the stomach. It is responsible for secreting pepsinogen, a precursor to the digestive enzyme pepsin.

Structure

Gastric chief cells are found in the gastric glands located in the stomach lining. They are located at the base of the gastric glands, below the parietal cells and mucous cells.

Function

The primary function of gastric chief cells is to secrete pepsinogen, an inactive form of the enzyme pepsin. Pepsinogen is activated into pepsin by the acidic environment of the stomach, provided by the hydrochloric acid secreted by the parietal cells. Pepsin then aids in the digestion of proteins by breaking down the peptide bonds that hold the amino acids together.

Clinical Significance

Abnormalities in the function or number of gastric chief cells can lead to a variety of medical conditions. For example, hypochlorhydria or achlorhydria, conditions characterized by low or absent stomach acid, can result in insufficient activation of pepsinogen, leading to impaired protein digestion.

Gastric adenocarcinomas, a type of stomach cancer, can also originate from gastric chief cells. This is known as a chief cell adenocarcinoma.

See Also

• Gastric glands
• Gastric parietal cell
• Gastric mucous cell
• Pepsin
• Pepsinogen