ECL cells are the middle helpers of the stomach. They hear the gastrin message and pass it on with a messenger called histamine.
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ECL cells live deep in the glands of your stomach. They sit low down, near the outside edge of the gland, and don't reach up to the food.
They are small, roundish cells. Close by are the big parietal cells, which make stomach acid.
Histamine is the same messenger that makes itchy, sneezy allergies happen. In the stomach, it has a totally different job!
When you eat, G cells send gastrin into the blood. Gastrin reaches the ECL cells and tells them to let out histamine.
Histamine drifts over to the parietal cells next door and says: make acid! The acid helps break down food and kills many germs that you swallow.
Scroll up to the 3D model and press Send histamine to see the message reach the acid maker.
By Operation Ouch. A fun video for kids.
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