The Effects of Acetic and Acetylsalicylic Acids on the Appearance of the Gastric Mucosal Surface Epithelium in the Scanning Electron Microscope

Abstract

Acetic and acetylsalicylic acids have previously been found to increase the gastric mucosal permeability to ions. It has been suggested that this effect is due to cellular swelling caused by intracellular accumulation of the ionized acids. In an attempt to verify this hypothesis, specimens from both normal mucosae and from mucosae irrigated with solutions of either acetic or acetylsalicylic acid were studied in the scanning electron microscope. The normal cells appeared polygonal and closely attached. The acid-treated cells generally were swollen, and the intercellular junctions appeared incompletely broken. The result thus supported the hypothesis.

Key-words:

• Acetic acids
• aspirin
• electron microscopy
• gastric mucosa
• permeability
• stomach