Role of antral mucosa in intestinal phase of gastric secretion in dogs.

This study was performed to investigate the mechanisms and significance of the intestinal phase of gastric secretion. With infusion of 10% liver extract into the duodenum of dogs, serum gastrin levels of the right gastroepiploic vein increased significantly (p less than 0.01). With infusion of the pH 7.0 liver extract, acid and pepsin outputs in non- antrectomized dogs increased significantly (p less than 0.01), as did serum gastrin levels (p less than 0.01). Post-infusion acid output in these dogs was 48 +/- 16% of tetragastrin-stimulated output. With the same infusion, antrectomized dogs showed no significant increase of acid and pepsin outputs and serum gastrin levels. Acid output and serum gastrin levels in non- antrectomized dogs that were infused with pH 2.0 liver extract did not increase significantly. The values of almost all serum amino acids in both types of dogs increased slightly, but insignificantly, with pH 7.0 liver extract. We obtained the following conclusions. The intestinal phase of gastric secretion operates by the mediation of the antral mucosa, from which gastrin is released. Although this phase has some effect, the acid-secretory ability of this phase is masked by inhibitory systems under certain physical conditions.