The total active transport of Cl ions across the frog's gastric mucosa can be considered as:net Cl-flux (serosa to mucosa) = H+ + SCC (short-circuit current), all terms expressed as usmole cm-2 hr-.
25PPROCEEDINGS OF THE The net chloride flux (Hogben, 1955; Durbin & Heinz, 1958) may be divided into two fractions: an acidic one which is equivalent to the acid secreted and an electromotive one which accounts for the gastric electromotive force. The changes in SCC can accordingly be used as a partial index to the activity of the chloride pump.Experiments were designed to investigate the effects of histamine, metiamide (H2 receptor antagonist), cystic fibrosis (CF) and non-CF plasma on the above parameters using the frog's isolated gastric mucosa.The SCC and the resistance of the mucosal preparation is measured by means of an automatic SCC apparatus (de Jesus, 1977).The H ion secretion is measured by pH meter.Results obtained (expressed as mean change (A)+ ±.E. of mean) for histamine (10-4 M) (n = 10) show an initial increase of the SCC by 36-94 + 2.95 1sA cm-2 and a parallel small increase in H+ output by 0-045 + 0-003 ,mole cm-2 hr-'. This initial increase in SCC is followed by a drop to a steady-state level of 23-62 + 2-23 1sA cm-2 and also by a large increase in H+ secretion 2-26 + 0-22 ,mole cm-2 hr-1.These results support the work of Rehm (1961) in that histamine has an effect first on the Cl-pump and then on the H+ secretion.Metiamide (10-4 M) (n = 12) caused a drop in the SCC by 20-16 + 2-32 HA cm-2 and also reduced the acid secretion by 2-21 + 0-14 ,mole cm-2 hr-1, thus suggesting an effect on the Cl-pump as well as on the H+ secretion.Significant differences are shown (P < 0-001) between CF and non-CF plasma results. The CF plasma (n = 8) increased the SCC by 17-25 ± 2-94 ,uA cm-2 and H+ secretion by 2-38 + 0 43 molee cm-2 hr-1. Non-CF plasma caused a slight increase in SCC by 5*17 + 1.1 ,uA cm-2 and had little effect on the H+ secretion, 0*34 + 0 01 jumole cm-2 hr'L (n = 8).The effect of the CF plasma on the Cl-and H+ mechanisms is of interest since in cystic fibrosis there is an abnormal increase of Cl-and Nat in the sweat of patients