Ace the ADAT 2025 – Drill Into Your Dental Dreams with Confidence!

Parietal cells in the stomach secrete intrinsic factor, which plays a crucial role in the absorption of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that is necessary for the production of red blood cells and the maintenance of a healthy nervous system.

Intrinsic factor binds to vitamin B12 in the stomach, creating a complex that is resistant to digestion. This complex is essential for the absorption of B12 in the ileum, the final section of the small intestine. Without intrinsic factor, vitamin B12 cannot be effectively absorbed, leading to potential deficiencies and related health issues.

While pepsinogen is secreted by gastric chief cells and is involved in protein digestion, it does not have a direct role in B12 absorption. Gastrin, a hormone that stimulates acid secretion and gastric motility, and secretin, which regulates water homeostasis and influences pancreatic enzyme secretion, are also not directly involved in the absorption of vitamin B12. Thus, intrinsic factor is the critical component secreted by parietal cells necessary for the proper absorption of this vital vitamin.