A gastric phase of pancreatic secretion

Abstract

1. Extracts of antral mucosa increase the output of pancreatic amylase. They do not stimulate the resting pancreas of the anaesthetized cat to secrete juice, but have a slight ‘secretin‐like’ effect on a pancreas already responding to endogenous or exogenous secretin. 2. In animals with the vagus and splanchnic nerves cut instillation of meat extracts or acetylcholine into the antrum stimulates gastric acid and pancreatic amylase secretion. These responses can be prevented by injection of atropine or cocainization of the antral mucosa. 3. In animals with the splanchnic nerves cut but the vagus nerves intact, distension of the body or antrum increases the output of amylase. After vagal section distension of the body has no effect on the pancreas, but the response to antral distension is still present. 4. It is concluded that there is a gastric phase of pancreatic secretion which, in the cat, is almost entirely a stimulation of enzyme output. A vago‐vagal reflex pathway is required for the pancreatic response to mechanical stimulation of the body of the stomach, and may be involved in the response to antral stimulation. Chemical and mechanical stimulation of the antrum produces a hormonally mediated increase in pancreatic enzyme secretion. The effects of atropine and cocaine on this response are consistent with the view that the release of the antral stimulant depends on a local cholinergic reflex pathway in the antrum.