[Immunohistological study of the normal human gastric mucosa and that of chronic gastritis].

Normal gastric mucosa and that in atrophic gastritis was studied by indirect immunoperoxidase method. Intestinal antigens CEA and beta 1MA were found in the foetal stomach and in the foci of intestinal metaplasia with and without dysplastic epithelial changes. Gastric antigens, pepsinogens of the foetal and 2-nd type, were found in foetal and adult stomach, as well as in the foci of intestinal metaplasia with dysplastic changes. The discovery of concomitant presence of gastric and colonic antigens in the dysplastic epithelium may indicate the existence of pluripotent stem cells capable of differentiation in the direction of gastric glandular epithelium, and in the direction of enterocytes. The possibility is suggested of origination of gastric carcinoma of different histologic structure from intestinal metaplasia with dysplastic changes.