Calcium-dependent amylase release and electrophysiological measurements in cells of the pancreas.

1. Transmembrane potential, effective membrane resistance, and amylase output were recorded from acinar cells of rat pancreas perfused in vitro.2. Both pancreozymin and acetylcholine hyperpolarized the acinar cells, increased effective membrane resistance, and augmented amylase output.3. The omission of calcium from the perfusion medium increased effective membrane resistance and potential, and abolished the increase in amylase output in response to the drugs.4. A quantitative relation was found between the amount of amylase released by pancreozymin and the concentration of calcium in the perfusion medium at values below the normal 2.5 mM calcium. Excess magnesium did not inhibit the increase in amylase output in response to the drug.5. It is concluded that the release of amylase from the pancreas depends on the entry of calcium into the acinar cells. The entry of calcium seems to be mediated by a carrier in the membrane and may be considered as a ;facilitated diffusion'.6. The electrophysiological findings taken together with morphological evidence provided by scanning electron microscopy favour the view that pancreatic zymogens are released from the granules in the acinar cells to the lumen by the process known as exocytosis.