Response of the Canine Pancreas to Duodenal Acidification and Secretin

Abstract

Volume flow and bicarbonate output of the pancreatic juice of the dog are quantitatively related to the rate of infusion of acid into the duodenum. No dissociation between anionic secretion and volume flow can be obtained by means of duodenal acidification. Maximal response of the pancreas is obtained in most dogs with 12 mEq acid/30 minutes. This figure closely corresponds to the maximal secretory capacity of gastric acid secretion of the dog. The relationships between acid infusion rates and approximate estimation of amounts of circulating endogenous secretin have the characteristic pattern of a pharmacologic dose-response curve. Under physiological conditions, the limiting factor of pancreatic secretion is the maximal capacity of the intestine to release secretin.

Key-words:

• Bicarbonate
• duodenal acidification
• duodenum
• pancreas
• secretin
• secretion