Effect of p-chloromercuribenzene sulfonate on gastric parietal and surface cell function in the dog.

p-Chloromercuribenzene sulfonate, a polar organic mercurial which presumably penetrates cell membranes with great difficulty, led to a profound decrease in acid recovered from exteriorized segments of dog gastric fundus stimulated by exogenous histamine. Trapping of secreted hydrogen ions by Tris buffer did not significantly reduce the back-diffusion component of apparent inhibition. Sodium-for-hydrogen exchange was close to unity before and after inhibition.