Acid control by the antrum—effect of antral pH on vagally stimulated antral response

¹ Department of Surgery and Surgical Medical Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

Food was employed to elicit the vagal-antral-gastrin response which was measured by Heidenhain pouch secretion in three dogs. Direct antral stimulation by the food was avoided by making a double-mucosal diaphragm which isolated the antrum from the gastric contents without interfering with its vagal innervation. Antral pH was modified by irrigation in a series of acute stands. In the chronic portion of the experiment the innervated antrum was first isolated with an acid-secreting gastric cuff attached whereas in a succeeding preparation the antrum alone was separated from the gastric contents. In both the acute and chronic experiments changes in antral pH markedly influenced pouch secretion. It is concluded that antral pH greatly modifies gastrin output subsequent to vagal stimulation of the antrum.

Key Words: antrum • gastric antrum • antrum acidity • antrum acidity and vagal response • vagally stimulated gastrin and antral acidity

Submitted on October 31, 1963