Parietal cell structure during inhibition of acid secretion

Acute, pharmacological inhibition of gastric acid secretion is paralleled by a return of the parietal cells to a resting morphology. However, some inhibitors acting on targets in the parietal cells distal to the receptors, may inhibit acid secretion without the return to a resting morphology. This is the case with e.g. picoprazole and thiocyanate. Long-term pharmacological or surgical inhibition of acid secretion may be followed by changes in the number and/or size of the parietal cells.