Vascular Architecture of Human Gastric Mucosa

Abstract

The gastric gland is classified histologically into the fundic and pyloric gland area. When we study about the localization of gastric ulcer, it is related to the glandular border between the fundic and pyloric glands, however, it could be also regulated by the vascular architecture of gastric wall. We would like to present the paper about the difference of vascular architecture between fundic and pyloric gland area of human stomach. The specimens were observed under light microscope after injecting black ink into main gastric artery of resected stomach.
On the other hand, the corrosion casts of vessel were investigated by scanning electron microscope. In fundic area, capillary of mucosa runs vertically upwards to the gastric cavity. Diameter of vessels is enlarged again in generative cell zone, and the vessels running towards surface epitherial cells. Under the surface epitherial cells, there was capillary mesh, and they formed capillary loops, encircling each glandular openings and continuing venules. In pyloric area, numerous capillaries penetrated muscularis mucosa and immediately ascended radially towards the gastric cavity. Capillary meshwork is shorter and more coarse than fundic one. Also, we measured the diameter of each vessel injecting black ink and counted the number of vessels surrounding each glands, by horizontal cut section of glandular portion and generative cell zone under light microscope.
The diameter of vessels of fundic area was slightly wider than the pyloric ones, and vascular distribution in fundic gland area was about two times as dense as in pyloric area.