Electrophysiology of the frog gastric mucosa with sufficient CO2

Abstract

Changing from 5% CO2 in the serosal solution only to 10% CO2 on both sides doubles the acid secretory rate of the bullfrog stomach (as shown previously) and raises the transmural potential difference, although the short-circuit current is not changed. The secretory overshoot on reoxygenation after anaerobiosis, observed in 5% CO2, is virtually eliminated in 10% CO2, as predicted by the diffusion model which explains the secretory rate increase. It was found that the rate of rise of the secretory rate during anoxia was identical in the 2 conditions, which explains the increased secretory lag in 10% CO2 and suggests an interesting limitation on the rate with which acid secretion can be activated. During anoxia in 10% CO2, but not in 5% CO2, there occurs a sudden drop in PD to a slightly negative value associated with a fall in tissue resistance. This effect occurs under SCN-inhibition and thus seems unrelated to H+ transport per se. A working model is presented which can explain some of the events surrounding the sudden potential drop.