Removal of endogenous gastrin in man.

The concentration of gastrin was determined in arterial and venous serum from the head, lung, liver, kidney, and legs in six fasting patients with mild hepatic parenchymatous disease. Extraction of gastrin could not be demonstrated in any of the vascular beds examined. The results indicate that gastrin degradation is not confined to certain specific organs but takes place in many organs or perhaps in the total volume of distribution for gastrin.