Fundic Glands

glands found in the gastric mucosa. The fundic glands are situated in the fundus and body of the stomach, where they constitute the bulk of the glands. The glands are tubules that are unbranched at the ends. In the human stomach the average length of each fundic gland is 0.65 mm, and the average diameter is about 30–50 micrometers. There are 35 million fundic glands, covering a secretory area of about 3.5 sq m. The glands consist of a variety of cells that secrete gastric juice and perform endocrinous functions. The main cells elaborate pepsinogen, the accessory cells mucoid substances, and the parietal cells chlorides. Different kinds of enterochromaffin cells produce hormones, for example, gastrin. The fundic glands open into the gastric pits, whose epithelial cells elaborate mucus, one of the functions of which is to protect stomach tissues against the digestive activity of gastric juice.