Effect of antral acidification on acid secretion induced by meat and pentagastrin.

The effect of altering the pH of innervated antral pouches on the acid secretory response to either single feeds of ox heart or pentagastrin was studied in 2 dogs with innervated, and 2 dogs with denervated gastric pouches. The outputs of pepsin were also measured following the meals of ox heart. Acidification of the antral pouches inhibited the acid secretory response to ox heart, while alkalinization produced no alteration of results. The outputs of pepsin were not affected by alterations in the pH of the innervated antral pouches. Acidification of the innervated antral pouches did not alter the outputs of acid from denervated fundic pouches in response to sequential doses of pentagastrin but produced an inhibition in the response to submaximal doses from the innervated fundic pouches. The results do not support the existence of an antral inhibitory hormone, and suggest that an inhibitory mechanism is present when the intrinsic nerve pathways are intact.