Effects of secretagogues on membrane potential and input resistance of pancreatic acinar cells of sheep.

The effects of acetylcholine, short-chain fatty acids and peptide hormones on membrane potential and input resistance of the pancreatic acinar cells of sheep were investigated using intracellular glass microelectrodes. The resting membrane potential and input resistance were -28.0 +/- 4.3 mV (mean +/- SD, inside negative, n = 23) and 2.4 +/- 1.7 M omega, respectively. The application of acetylcholine, short-chain fatty acids (acetate, butyrate and caprylate) and peptide hormones (caerulein and bombesin) always caused depolarisation accompanied by a marked reduction in input resistance. The equilibrium potentials of acetylcholine and caprylate were -13.5 and -12.8 mV, respectively.