Pepsinogen granules in the esophageal epithelium of the rock snake.

We demonstrated a large number of pepsinogen granules in the esophageal pseudostratified ciliated epithelium of the rock snake. 1. The snake esophagus is covered with a pseudostratified ciliated epithelium. 2. This epithelium develop mostly in the upper portion of the esophagus. 3. Long supranuclear portions of the same cells are strongly PAS-positive and contain pepsinogen granules. Those cells possess cilia. 4. The strongly PAS-positive cells and pepsinogen granules decrease or are lost in the middle and lower portions of the esophagus. 5. Glands are distributed in the lamina propria mucosae of the esophagus of the Japanese lizard and gecko. Those in humans and the bird are compound tubular glands and those of the Japanese lizard and gecko are bottle-shaped. The pepsinogen granules of these glands are secreted into the excretory ducts and then discharged into the esophageal lumen. 6. However, the same granules of the snake are contained in the supranuclear portion of the epithelium and are secreted directly into the esophageal lumen. 7. The mode of pepsinogen granule secretion of the esophagus is most simple in the snake.