Stem cells, gastric

Stem cells, in the middle of gastric pits and crypts, provide continual replenishment. 

There are stem cells, very few in number, that divide slowly to provide daughter cells. One of these two cells is destined to remain a stem cell the other divides to form preprogenitor cells that, in turn, divide to form progenitor cells, which then form cell-type precursors and finally the mature cell type. This program is held within the cells and outside the cells by external factors generated by other cell types. The stem cells of the gastric mucosa are pluripotent. 

A cartoon depicting the interrelationships between stem cells, committed progenitor cells, and ISEMFs in the gastric mucosa. This is a bidirectional cross talk that allows the epithelium (and its environment) to affect the fate of stem cells via growth factors and the mesenchyme. 

Although gastric multipotent stem cells have not been isolated, the genetic analysis of an enriched mouse gastric epithelial progenitor cell population from the fundus has facilitated the understanding of some of the molecular pathways that regulate this precursor cell proliferation and differentiation in the murine stomach. 

Figure 4.1 Components of a gastric gland. The pit and the luminal surface are lined by surface mucous cells. The isthmus contains stem and progenitor cells and is enclosed by a sheath of myofibroblastic cells. Mucous neck cells are found in the neck, while chief and endocrine cells are present in the base of the gland. Parietal cells are actually scattered throughout the gland.

The effect of ginsenosides from stems and leaves of P. ginseng on gastric carcinoma cells (BGC-823) cultured in vitro was reported[56]. The growing speed and mitotic ability of the gastric carcinoma cells were inhibited, the concentration of glycogen in the cells was increased, and the activity of mucopolysaccharide and ACP in the cells were decreased. Ginsenoside Rh2... 

In traditional systems of medicine, species of Uncaria have been used for the treatment of neurotoxicity. Bioactivity-guided fractimiation of U. rhynchophylla led to the discovery of pentacychc triterpene esters, namely uncarinic acid A and B [38,37]. Literature demonstrates that these compounds inhibit the growth of human cancer cell lines A-549, HCT-15, MCF-7, HT-1197, and phosphohpase Cyl, an enzyme which induces proliferation of human cancer cells [38,37]. The studies on cDNA microarray revealed that hyperin (3.5) isolated from stems of U. rhynchophylla, down regulated SNU-668 human gastric cancer cells. 

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