Cell loss from human gastric mucosa measured by the estimation of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in gastric washings.

D. N. CROFT, D. J. POLLOCK, AND N. F. COGHILL (London) Using a method of saline perfusion the rate of accumulation of DNA in the stomach was measured in patients with normal gastric mucosa, with pernicious anaemia, and with simple atrophic gastritis. Patients with normal mucosa, or pernicious anaemia, had low DNA rates. A majority of patients with simple atrophic gastritis had much higher values. In gastric biopsy specimens significantly higher epithelial mitosis counts were found in treated pernicious anaemia and simple atrophic gastritis than in normal mucosa. The data appear to indicate a higher turnover of surface epithelial cells in atrophic than in normal gastric mucosa.