Chief cell
Human chief cells near tip of RED pointer
Details
Part of	Stomach
System	Digestive system
Identifiers
Latin	exocrinocytus principalis
MeSH	D019872
TH	H3.04.02.1.00031
FMA	62902
Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

A gastric chief cell, peptic cell, or gastric zymogenic cell is a type of gastric gland cell that releases pepsinogen and gastric lipase. It is the cell responsible for secretion of chymosin in ruminant animals and humans.^[1] The cell stains basophilic upon H&E staining due to the large proportion of rough endoplasmic reticulum in its cytoplasm. Gastric chief cells are generally located deep in the mucosal layer of the stomach lining, in the fundus and body of the stomach.^[2][3]

Chief cells release the zymogen (enzyme precursor) pepsinogen when stimulated by a variety of factors including cholinergic activity from the vagus nerve and acidic condition in the stomach. Gastrin and secretin may also act as secretagogues.^[4]

It works in conjunction with the parietal cell, which releases gastric acid, converting the pepsinogen into pepsin.

Nomenclature

The terms chief cell and zymogenic cell are often used without the word "gastric" to name this type of cell. However, those terms can also be used to describe other cell types (for example, parathyroid chief cells). Chief cells are also known as peptic cells.