Changes in gastric parietal cells during prolonged intermittent corticosteroid treatment.

Immature A/J mice were treated for up to 7 weeks with intermittent doses of triamcinolone hexacetonide and were thereafter allowed to recover for 7 weeks. Structural examinations and morphological measurements were performed on the parietal cells in the gastric mucosa. By the 3rd injection a significant decrease was noted in the number of the above cells - a feature that lasted throughout the experimental period. In contrast, the diameter of the parietal cells increased. However, following recovery, the latter returned to their normal size.