Related Experiment Videos
ECL cell histamine mobilization studied by gastric submucosal microdialysis in awake rats: methodological
Peter Ericsson1, Per Norlén, Maria Bernsand
1Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Physiological Sciences, University of Lund, Lund, Sweden.
Pharmacology & Toxicology
|August 6, 2003
Summary
Gastric submucosal microdialysis effectively monitors histamine release from enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells in rats. This method is reliable, with minimal inflammation impacting histamine mobilization results.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Endocrinology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells in the stomach secrete histamine in response to gastrin.
- Gastric submucosal microdialysis is a technique used to study ECL-cell histamine release in vivo.
- Assessing the utility and limitations of microdialysis for this purpose is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the usefulness and limitations of gastric submucosal microdialysis for monitoring ECL-cell histamine mobilization in rats.
- To determine the accuracy of histamine concentration measurements using microdialysis under various conditions.
- To investigate the impact of inflammation and pharmacological agents on histamine release.
Main Methods:
- Microdialysis probes were implanted in the gastric submucosa of rats.
- Histological analysis assessed local inflammatory reactions.
- Histamine concentrations were determined using zero-flow and no-net-flux methods.
- Perfusion rates and calcium concentrations were varied.
- Effects of gastrin, prednisolone, indomethacin, aminoguanidine, and metopirine were examined.
Main Results:
- A moderate, localized inflammatory reaction around the probe persisted for at least 10 days.
- Basal submucosal histamine concentrations were determined (e.g., 87±5 nmol/l in fasted rats).
- Histamine recovery varied with perfusion rate, approaching actual concentrations below 20 µl/hr.
- Anti-inflammatory agents did not affect histamine mobilization during gastrin stimulation.
- Aminoguanidine increased basal and stimulated histamine levels, while metopirine did not.
Conclusions:
- Gastric submucosal microdialysis is a viable technique for monitoring histamine concentration changes in the stomach.
- The inflammatory response to the probe is generally moderate and does not significantly interfere with histamine mobilization studies.
- Pharmacological interventions targeting histamine metabolism can be assessed using this microdialysis model.