The pepsinogens of human gastric mucosa.

Fundic mucosal pepsinogens reveal six major bands of protease activity on gel electrophoresis and four minor bands. Antral mucosa shows two major bands of activity; the four rapidly moving bands found in fundic mucosa are found in lesser activity in the antral mucosa. Duodenal mucosa shows only one slowly moving band of protease activity. There is a significant difference in the pepsinogen pattern when the uninvolved fundic mucosa of gastric ulcer patients is compared with that of cancer patients.A satisfactory method is described for separating the pepsinogens on column chromatography.