Human Gastric Epithelial Cells play surely a crucial role in stomach function. The stomach is an expanded section of the digestive tube between the esophagus and small intestine. The mucosal lining of the stomach is simple columnar epithelium with numerous tubular gastric glands. The gastric glands open to the surface of the mucosa through tiny holes called gastric pits. Within the stomach there is an abrupt transition from stratified squamous epithelium extending from the esophagus to a columnar epithelium dedicated to secretion. In most species, this transition is very close to the esophageal orifice, but in some, particular horses and rodents, stratified squamous cells line much of the fundus and part of the body.

Human Gastric Epithelial Cells in culture provide a model for studying the relationship between epithelial cells and gastric disorders. They are also useful tools to stablish in vitro disease models for High Throughput and High Content Screening.