Disappearance of gastrin across the lung.

Abstract

SummaryUsing a radioimmunoassay for its measurement, the fate of injected Synthetic human gastrin has been studied in intact dogs, sheep and pigs as well as in isolated perfused organ systems (liver and lungs). The half life of synthetic human gastrin was similar in all intact animals at approximately seven minutes. Acute bilateral nephrectomy and total enterectomy did not alter this half life. Gastrin did not disappear after passage across the isolated perfused pig liver. However, the disappearance rate for synthetic human gastrin across the isolated perfused lungs of the dog or sheep was identical to that in the intact animal, and studies in the dog undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass also indicated that the half life of synthetic human gastrin was prolonged to thirty‐five minutes.These studies suggest an important role of the lungs in the disappearance of gastrin from the circulation, but little role for the liver, kidney and small bowel.