Effect of sub-diaphragmatic vagotomy on gastric mucosal mast cell population in pylorus ligated rats

Gastric mucosal mast cell population was studied following sub-diaphragmatic vagotomy in albino rats, 6 and 12 h after pylorus ligation. Sub-diaphragmatic vagotomy significantly increased the gastric mucosal mast cell population in both 6 and 12 h groups, the increase being more in the latter. The results suggest that the vagal impulses act on the gastric mucosal mast cells causing their degranulation. Following vagotomy the contents stay bound within the mast cells. Increase in mast cell population with the longer experimental situation was possibly due to the continuation of normal turnover of the mast cells in the gastric mucosa. The present study, however, does not lead to a conclusion that the vagal influence on mast cell population is similar throughout the gastro-intestinal tract.