The electrical properties of resting and secreting pancreas

Abstract

The electrical properties of the resting and stimulated pancreas have been studied in the anaesthetized cat. There is an inverse relationship between the frequency of applied alternating current and the resistivity and dielectric constant of the resting pancreas. The resistivity is also affected by the fat content of the gland. The impedance locus of the pancreas is similar to that of other tissues. On intravenous injection of secretin there is a brief increase, followed by a more marked decrease, in conductance and capacitance of the pancreas. The phase of decreased conductance is related to the flow of pancreatic juice. The decrease in conductance and the flow rate can be characterized by two closely related empirical equations. During secretin stimulation the sodium concentration in pancreatic tissue increases, and the potassium concentration falls. It is tentatively suggested that the decreased conductance across the secreting gland is mostly due to swelling of the secretory cells and to a minor degree is the result of changes in the composition of the secretion in the pancreatic ducts. In the anaesthetized cat the mean half life of the secretory action of secretin is 199 sec.