G-cell populations in resected stomachs from gastric and duodenal ulcer patients.

The G-cell population in the pyloric antrum and proximal duodenum was studied quantitatively by immunofluorescence in specimens from 10 gastric and 12 duodenal ulcer patients. In both groups, G-cell density was highest in the pyloric antrum and much lower in the intermediate zone and proximal duodenum, and G-cell counts were statistically higher at the greater than the lesser curvature. The estimated total number of G cells in the whole pyloric antrum including the intermediate zone in the duodenal ulcer group was (1.806 +/- 0.347) x 10(7), this value was significantly greater (P less than 0.05) than that of (0.872 +/- 0.207) x 10(7) in the gastric ulcer group. This difference was due to a higher incidence of intestinal metaplasia and a decrease in the thickness of the antral mucosa in the latter group. The estimated total number of G cells showed a significant negative correlation not only with the patient age (P less than 0.01) but also with the degree of intestinal metaplasia of the antral mucosa (P less than 0.01) in both duodenal and gastric ulcer patients.