Comparison of vagal and meat stimulation on gastric acid secretion and serum gastrin.

The gastric acid secreted per unit of serum gastrin concentration or per unit of gastrin delivered to the gastric mucosa was significantly greater during electrical vagal stimulation than during stimulation by meat extract in the pyloric antrum. There was no significant difference in the concentrations of big, big gastrin or Components I and II in gastric venous serum during the two forms of stimulation. There were significantly greater concentrations of Components II and IV in gastric venous serum during meat extract stimulation than during vagal stimulation. The gastrin in gastric venous serum when meat extract was in the pyloric antrum was comprised of Component IV in addition to Component III whereas gastrin in extracts of cat antral mucosa was predominantly Component III. Gastric acid secretion in response to vagal stimulation was greater than can be accounted for by the action of gastrin alone and cannot be explained by differences in the known gastrin variants in the circulation during the two forms of stimulation.