Abstract: Until recently, no distinction was made between fundal and antral gastritis. A distinction first emerged in the studies of Strickland et al. The development of the fiberoptic gastroscope made biopsy under direct vision of the antrum as well as of the fundus possible. Patients with antibodies to gastric parietal cells were shown to suffer from atrophy of the fundal mucosa （Type A）. In type B gastritis, the antral mucosa was mainly affected while parietalcell antibodies were absent.
Since parietal cells were gradually destroyed by an autoimmune process, it seemed plausible that in some instances antral gastrin cells might be similarly affected. Carmen Vandelli et al, had therefore looked for evidence of antibodies reacting with the antrum in the sera of patients undergoing endoscopy, in whom antral gastritis had been diagnosed.
The detection of GCA （Gastrin Cell Antibody） in the serum has important diagnostic significance, since this body in the serum indicates the presence of chronic gastritis with more or less extensive loss of gastrin cells from the gastric mucosa.
A new chapter of therapeutic application of immunologic findings in atrophic gastritis may come into existence in the future.