Autoradiographic study with 14C-labelled pentagastrin in the rat

An autoradiographic light-microscopic study was made to attempt to follow the course of metabolism and elimination of glycine labelled pentagastrin in rat. It was found that even 10 seconds after the intravenous injection of 14C-labelled pentagastrin, activity can be observed in the liver and in connection with the parietal cells of the gastric mucosa; the radioactive grains remain in the hepatocytes for a prolonged period, whereas they disappear very quickly from the stomach. Activity can be detected in the renal tubuli 2 minutes or more after labelled pentagastrin administration.