The site of hydrochloric acid production in the stomach as determined by indicators

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Abstract
Basic dyes of many chemical types were transported across isolated acid-secreting frog and toad gastric mucosa and were concd. in the secretions. Some of the dyes were acid-base indicators. Microscopical observations showed that during acid secretion the gastric crypts, tubules and intra-cellular canaliculi had pH values below 6.8 (neutral red), below 4.85 (acridine in u.-v. light) and below 1.4 (toluene-azoamino-toluene 2:1:1:4:3''). Methyl violet, a basic dye with color changes at still lower pH values, was not secreted in sufficient amts. to determine the pH of the tubules, etc. It is concluded that the site of formation of the HC1 is the wall of the canaliculi of the oxyntic cells (the pericanalicular zone). In all cases the secretory activity of the tissue occurred in patches, and even within active tubules some oxyntic cells were not secreting the dyes. Some acid dyes were transported, but were not concd. in the secretions. Similar results were obtained using small pieces of isolated polecat and cat gastric mucosa. The mechanism of secretion of dyestuffs is discussed.
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