Effect of the Luminal Hydrogen Ion on Alkali and Mucus Secretion in the Rat Stomach

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the effect of luminal H⁺ on alkali and mucus secretion in the isolated rat stomach. At various luminal pHs, the thickness and the pH gradient of the mucus gel layer were measured. The maximum pH and calculated alkali secretion showed that the latter was stimulated in parallel with an increase in luminal H⁺ concentration, especially when the luminal pH became less than 3.5. Mucus secretion, however, was not significantly affected by the luminal H⁺ concentration. These results suggest that alkali and mucus secretion in the stomach are not regulated by the same mechanism, but different ones.

Key Words:

• Alkali secretion
• mucus bicarbonate barrier
• mucus gel layer
• mucus secretion
• pH gradient