Stereological changes in rat parietal cells after vagotomy and antrectomy.

Gastric parietal cells from 44 male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were studied in the electron microscope. The animals were divided into seven groups: normal fasted, normal nonfasted, 4 weeks after vagotomy, 10 weeks after vagotomy and pyloroplasty, 10 weeks after pyloroplasty, 4 weeks after antrectomy, and 10 weeks after antrectomy. Stereological data were obtained from 30 to 40 parietal cells in each animal. In the normal nonfasted rats the parietal cells high up in the glands had a larger secretory surface density than those at deeper levels of the mucosa. Neck parietal cells containing a few mucous granules constituted about 10% of the total number of parietal cells in the normal rats; they were most common in the midgland region. The average parietal cell volume in the normal fasted rats was calculated to be 1100 mu3; the cells were significantly smaller 10 weeks after vagotomy and pyloroplasty and still smaller 10 weeks after antrectomy. In this respect the results after vagotomy and pyloroplasty did not differ from those after pyloroplasty alone. The parietal cell density in the normal fasted rats averaged 144 X 10(3) cells per mm3; in the operated rats (except for the 4-week vagotomized rats) the cells became more numerous. The parietal cell volume density was about equal in all groups of animals, except for the 10-week antrectomized rats, where a significant reduction occurred.