Effect of antrectomy and vagisecretion on gastric acid output and gastrin secretion.

In three dogs with denervated Heidenhain pouches, ingestion of cooked beef liver caused increased acid output and gastrin secretion. After antrectomy and gastrojejunal anastomosis, ingestion of the liver did not increase serum gastrin levels throughout the experiment. Acid output, however, although markedly reduced, was elevated over basal levels during the last three hours of the four-hour experiment. Total abdominal vagotomy did not alter gastrin secretion but further inhibited acid output in response to the test meal. These results indicate that in the dog intestinal gastrin is not released in response to a beef liver meal. Acid output postantrectomy, although reduced, does respond to the meal and is further decreased after vagotomy. A hormonal mechanism other than the release of intestinal gastrin is responsible for the intestinal phase of gastric acid secretion.