Background: Gastric glands grow and cells reach differentiation at weaning in rats. By considering that early weaning (EW) can affect the timing of development, we aimed to compare molecular and cellular markers of differentiation in pups and adults. Methods: Wistar rats were separated into suckling-control (S) and EW groups at 15 days. Stomachs were collected at 15, 18, and 60 days for RNA and protein extraction, and morphology. Results: After EW, the expression of genes involved in differentiation (Atp4b, Bhlha15 and Pgc) augmented (18 days), and Atp4b and Gif were high at 60 days. EW increased the number of zymogenic cells (ZC) in pups and adults and augmented mucous neck cells only at 18 days, whereas parietal and transition cells (TC) were unchanged. Conclusions: EW affected the gastric mucosa mostly in a transient manner as the changes in gene expression and distribution of differentiated cells that were detected in pups were not fully maintained in adults, except for the size of ZC population. We concluded that though most of EW effects were immediate, such nutritional change in the infancy might affect part of gastric digestive functions in a permanent manner, as some markers were kept unbalanced in the adulthood.
Keywords: breastfeeding; mucous neck cells; parietal cells; zymogenic cells.