Age-related changes in the stomach of the laboratory mouse: a quantitative morphological study.

This report is of a quantitative morphological investigation of the gastric wall in the aged laboratory mouse. Male mice of 6, 9, 18, 28 and 34 months of age were killed and the mid-greater curvature of the stomach examined qualitatively and quantitatively for age-related changes. There was no evidence of superficial or atrophic gastritis in any of the mice investigated. There were significant decreases in the relative volumes of parietal and chief cell components with age, and a significant increase in other components in the lamina propria. The relative volume of the mucous cell compartment did not change with age. In all cases where a significant change was observed it took place in the 34-month-old age group when compared with 6-, 9- or 18-month-old animals. There was a progressive change in the components after 18 months of age but this only achieved significance at 34 months. It was concluded that alterations in the gastric wall take place later in the life-span and appear to be a physiological, rather than a pathological change.