Electron-microscopic studies on the physiological cell loss in the gastric mucosa of the golden hamster.

Fine-structural aspects of physiological cell loss in the gastric mucosa of the golden hamster were observed. As the surface mucous cell ascends along the gastric pit, the cell becomes taller and funnel-like in shape. The interfoveolar cell located at the superficial portion of the gastric pit has many lysosomes and a few lipid droplets in the cytoplasm. The nucleus moves toward the upper region of the cytoplasm, while the Golgi apparatus moves downward toward the infranuclear region. After the rupture of the apical plasma membrane takes place, the lateral and basal plasma membranes of this cell reamin in spite of loss of the cell contents. Between the basal plasma membrane of the interfoveolar cell and the capillary endothelium is a thick connective tissue layer characterized by densely packed collagen fibrils. The remaining basal and lateral plasma membranes of the ruptured cell and the thick underlying collagenous layer might play a role in protecting the tissue from potential damage induced by the physiological cell loss.