Transport and electrical phenomena in resting and secreting piglet gastric mucosa.

1. Gastric mucosae were isolated from piglets (0-5 days old) and mounted in a chamber where electrical properties and secretory function could be measured. Unlike many previously reported mammalian in vitro preparations, pig gastric mucosae were stable and physiologically responsive for many hours after isolation. 2. With similar Ringer solutions bathing both surfaces, the isolated piglet gastric mucosa maintained a p.d. with the mucosal surface 30-35 mV negative with respect to the serosal surface. Limitation of access of Na+ from the mucosal bathing solution to the tissue (e.g. replacement of Na+ on mucosal side with choline or treatment with 10- minus 5 M amiloride) produced a decrease in p.d. and increase in mucosal resistance consistent with an hypothesis of Na+ transport from mucosa to serosa. 3. Isotopic flux measurements (36Cl and 24Na) and net H+ secretory rate were performed during open and short-circuit conditions, while the tissue was at rest and after stimulation of HCl secretion by 6 times 10- minus 5 M histamine. Up to 90% of the respective short-circuit current for resting or secreting mucosae was accounted for as the algebraic sum of Cl minus, H+ or Na+ fluxes. 4. The net transport of Na+ which occurred from mucosa to serosa during rest (ca. 4-7 muequiv/cm2.hr) was somewhat reduced during HCl secretion (ca. 2-7 muequiv/cm2.hr). This active transport of Na+ was more resistant to anaerobiosis than was H+ or Cl minus transport. 5. An active transport component of Cl minus from serosa to mucosa was clearly demonstrable in the non-secreting preparations (ca. 3-9 muequiv/cm2.hr). Active Cl minus transport was stimulated three- to fourfold after H+ secretion was stimulated by histamine. Anaerobiosis promptly reduced Cl minus and H+ transport. An exchange diffusion component was demonstrated for Cl minus which appeared to be prominent during H+ secretory activity and was considerably diminished in resting mucosae. 6. Large changes in mucosal resistance were associated with conditions of rest, histamine stimulation and anaerobic conditions; mean values were 113, 74 and 197 omega.cm2, respectively. Electrical conductance of the isolated gastric mucosa was due primarily to partial ionic conductance of Cl minus (60-65%) and Na+ (10-15%). The partial conductance of H+ was extremely low. The observed increase in tissue conductance associated with H+ secretory activity and the changes in the long-time constant p.d. transient to a current pulse are discussed in terms of the relative contribution of the serosal and mucosal plasma membrane surfaces.