AN IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL SURVEY OF GASTRIC PROTEINASE (PEPSINOGEN AND PROCHYMOSIN)-CONTAINING CELLS IN THE STOMACH OF THE DEVELOPING OPOSSUM (DIDELPHIS-VIRGINIANA)

  • 1 October 1987
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 154, 259-263
Abstract
Immunoreactivity to antisera of bovine pepsinogen and prochymosin is seen in cells of the oxyntic glands but not in the cardiac or pyloric glands of the opossum stomach. Immunoreactivities to pepsinogen and prochymosin occur primarily but not exclusively within the same cell type and are restricted to an undifferentiated cell type prior to weaning. The undifferentiated cells (presumptive mucous neck cells) producing these gastric proteinases decrease in number until just prior to weaning and disappear with the appearance of chief cells. Thereafter, immunoreactivities to both gastric proteinases are confined primarily to chief cells.