Interstitial fluid pressure in canine gastric mucosa

Guyton's capsules were implanted in the submucosa of the gastric corpus of dogs. The pressure of the fluid inside the capsule (ICP) was measured between 12 and 42 days later after mounting the piece of the corpus in a Plexiglas chamber. The capsule was always filled with saline. In two out of three experiments, the ICP did not change significantly when the saline was replaced by isotonic glucose or blood plasma. Changes of pressure exerted on the surface of the stomach were accurately monitored by the ICP recordings. Changes of circulation produced by compression of the artery or the vein connected to the piece of mucosa, or by intra-arterial injections of epinephrine, norepinephrine, isoproterenol, or hypertonic mannitol, modified the ICP as predicted by Starling's law of capillary filtration. Spontaneous activity of the gastric muscles or the activity, which followed intra-arterial injections of acetylcholine, prostigmine, or histamine, changed the ICP significantly. Intra-arterial atropine usually decreased the ICP by 3--5 mmHg. The mean value of the ICP in 49 animals was 0.53 +/- 0.34 mmHg (SEM); it was negative in 43% of the experiments.