The fine structure of atypical ciliated cells in the human gastric epithelium

Gastric mucosa obtained from the body and pyloric portions of the human stomach were observed by light and transmission electron microscopy. Ciliated cells were found in two of 18 subjects examined, one patient with gastric ulcer and the other one with gastric adenocarcinoma. The ciliated cells were found in epithelia at sites away from the main lesions. The tissues containing ciliated cells showed intestinal metaplasia combined with mild chronic gastritis in both cases. The epithelial layer facing the gastric lumen was composed of columnar cells with numerous uniform microvilli and goblet cells. This epithelium extended to the superficial parts of the tubules surrounded by the lamina propria. The deeper portions of the tubules were composed of mucous secretory, endocrine, and rarely ciliated cells. These ciliated cells were provided with numerous cilia the numbers of which varied considerably from cell to cell. This was in contrast to the primary cilium which is usually single. The central part of the apical cell membrane was sometimes concave in the area from where cilia tended to arise. It was also observed that numerous basal bodies as well as mucus-like granules were contained in the same cell. The axonemal pattern was different from that of ordinary cilia and showed 9 + 0 and 8 + 1 patterns. In longitudinal sections it was found that one peripheral doublet was displaced to the center of the axoneme as it left the basal body.