Cytochemical evidence for functional zonation of parietal cells within the gastric glands of the mouse.

Parietal cells in the luminal segments of mouse gastric glands show high activity of acid-secreting potassium-dependent adenosine triphosphatase (H+, K+-ATPase) and of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase (NAD-ICDHase) and malate dehydrogenase (MDHase) but low activity of succinate dehydrogenase (SDHase). This pattern of activity is reversed in the basal segments of the same glands. These results and previous morphological findings support the conclusion that luminal segment parietal cells are much more active in hydrochloric acid secretion than those of the basal segment. The origin of this zonation may be either cellular deterioration with age or some more specific form of regulation of parietal cell metabolism.