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Gastric parietal cell
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The gastric parietal cell lives mainly in the middle part of the gastric glands, the small secretory tunnels that open onto the stomach lining. It is one of the most specialized epithelial cells in the whole body, and it is relatively large.
It makes two things. One is hydrochloric acid, which is responsible for the acidity of the stomach contents and which is needed to activate pepsin, the enzyme that breaks down the protein in food. The other is intrinsic factor, a glycoprotein, meaning a protein with sugars attached, which is needed to absorb vitamin B12 farther along, in the small intestine. So this cell does not just help with digestion in the stomach: it also determines whether that vitamin is absorbed farther down the gut.
In brief
The gastric parietal cell sits mainly in the middle region of the gastric glands and is among the most differentiated epithelial cells in the body.
These relatively large cells produce hydrochloric acid and intrinsic factor. Hydrochloric acid is responsible for the high acidity of the stomach contents and is needed to activate pepsin, the enzyme that digests protein.
Intrinsic factor is a glycoprotein needed to absorb vitamin B12 in the small intestine.
Sources (1)
- OpenStax, Rice UniversityAnatomy and Physiology 2e, 23.4 The Stomach
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