The effects of antimitotic and microfilament disrupting agents on functions of isolated guinea-pig parietal cells.

In isolated guinea-pig parietal cells pretreated for 60 min with the H2-antagonist ranitidine, the antimitotic agents colchicine and vinblastine, the microfilament-disrupting agent cytochalasin B resulted in a concentration-dependent inhibition of histamine-stimulated acid secretion up to 80%. Ranitidine reduced histamine binding to the membrane located H2-receptor. The anti-cytoskeletal agents inhibited the cellular histamine uptake but did not effect the histamine methyltransferase activity which was significantly reduced by ranitidine. The data suggest that cytoskeletal elements like microtubules and microfilaments are of very specific functional significance not only in the secretory process of the parietal cell but also for cellular transport mechanisms.