Effects of partial resection of acid-secreting mucosa on plasma gastrin and enterochromaffin-like cells in the rat stomach.

Female rats were subjected to various degrees (50, 75, 90 and 100%) of fundectomy, i.e. resection of the acid-producing part of the stomach, to compare the effects of different degrees of reduction of the amount of acid reaching the antrum. Plasma gastrin was monitored for 10 weeks after the operation. Histidine decarboxylase (HDC) activity, histamine concentration and density of enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells in the remaining oxyntic mucosa were determined in the rats subjected to 50 or 75% fundectomy. There was a close correlation between the amount of acid-producing mucosa removed and the plasma gastrin levels, the highest gastrin level being observed in the rats subjected to 100% fundectomy. HDC activity, histamine concentration and ECL cell density seemed to reflect plasma gastrin concentration. These findings indicate that hypergastrinemia induced by surgical removal of acid-producing mucosa in the rat has the same effects on oxyntical mucosal HDC activity, histamine concentration and ECL cell density as hypergastrinemia induced by continuous gastrin infusion or by long-term treatment with effective antisecretagogues.