Pancreatic duct cells in rats: secretory studies in response to secretin, cholecystokinin-pancreozymin, and gastrin in vivo.

In rats given a copper-deficient diet plus penicillamine to destroy the acinar tissue selectively, the sensitivity and secretory pattern of pancreatic duct cells to a variety of hormones has been investigated. Resting flow rate of this pancreatic duct model was in the same range as in the intact gland. The duct cells responded to increasing doses of secretin by producing more juice with increasing outputs of bicarbonate, sodium, potassium, and chloride. Bicarbonate concentration increased with the lowest dose of secretin up to values of 64 mEq per liter and did not further increase with higher doses of secretin and increasing secretory rates. The concentration of potassium increased with increasing doses of secretin and flow rates, whereas chloride concentration decreased in a reciprocal fashion to bicarbonate. Gastrin and cholecystokinin-pancreozymin did not significantly stimulate the duct cells. Atropine did not inhibit the action of secretin on the flow rate or on bicarbonate secretion.