Produce an acidic mucus in the stomach?

• A. Mucus neck cells
• B. Chief cells
• C. Parietal cells
• D. G cells

Answer: (A)

Protective mucus production in the stomach comes from secretory cells located in the neck region of the gastric glands. Mucus neck cells release a thick mucus that, together with bicarbonate, forms a protective barrier coating the stomach lining. This barrier helps shield the epithelium from the corrosive acid (and enzymes) in the stomach, even though the mucus itself is designed to be alkaline rather than acidic. The other cell types have different roles: chief cells secrete pepsinogen (a digestive enzyme precursor), parietal cells secrete hydrochloric acid and intrinsic factor, and G cells release gastrin to stimulate acid secretion. So, the mucus-producing cells are the mucus neck cells, supplying the protective mucus layer.