parietal cell: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical/Scientific
Quick answer
What does “parietal cell” mean?
A type of cell in the stomach lining that secretes hydrochloric acid and intrinsic factor, essential for digestion.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A type of cell in the stomach lining that secretes hydrochloric acid and intrinsic factor, essential for digestion.
A specialized epithelial cell located in the gastric glands of the stomach, also known as an oxyntic cell, crucial for creating the acidic environment needed for protein digestion and for absorbing vitamin B12.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Spelling follows respective conventions (e.g., 'oesophagus' vs. 'esophagus' in surrounding text).
Connotations
Identical technical, clinical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general discourse, exclusive to medical/biological fields in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “parietal cell” in a Sentence
The parietal cell secretes [SUBSTANCE]Parietal cells are found in [LOCATION][DRUG/AGENT] inhibits parietal cell functionVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “parietal cell” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The parietal cell mass was estimated from the biopsy.
American English
- Parietal cell antibodies are a marker for some autoimmune conditions.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Academic
Used in medical, biological, and physiological research papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Virtually never used, except when discussing specific medical conditions with a healthcare provider.
Technical
Core term in gastroenterology, histology, pharmacology (e.g., discussing proton pump inhibitors).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “parietal cell”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “parietal cell”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “parietal cell”
- Mispronouncing 'parietal' as /ˈpær.i.əl/ or /paˈriː.təl/.
- Confusing with 'partial cell'.
- Using it outside of a gastric/biological context.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, 'oxyntic cell' is a synonymous term for parietal cell, derived from the Greek word for 'acid'.
They are found in the gastric glands, primarily in the fundus and body of the stomach, lining the gland walls.
They also secrete intrinsic factor, a glycoprotein essential for the absorption of vitamin B12 in the small intestine.
Yes, but it requires medical management. Loss of parietal cells leads to achlorhydria (no stomach acid) and necessitates vitamin B12 supplementation due to the lack of intrinsic factor.
A type of cell in the stomach lining that secretes hydrochloric acid and intrinsic factor, essential for digestion.
Parietal cell is usually technical/scientific in register.
Parietal cell: in British English it is pronounced /pəˈraɪ.ə.təl sel/, and in American English it is pronounced /pəˈraɪ.ə.t̬əl sel/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a PARI (a friend) and an ETTAL (sounds like 'edal' from 'pedal'). Your friend PARI steps on the ACID pedal inside your stomach wall (parietal) to speed up digestion.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE STOMACH IS A CHEMICAL FACTORY (where the parietal cell is the acid production unit).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary secretory product of the parietal cell?