Pancreatic acinar cells: effects of micro-ionophoretic polypeptide application on membrane potential and resistance

1. Acinar cell membrane potential and resistance were measured from superfused segments of mouse pancreas, in vitro, using intracellular glass micro-electrodes. One or two extracellular micropipettes containing caerulein, bombesin nonapeptide (Bn) or acetylcholine (ACh) were placed near to the surface of the impaled acinus. The secretagogues were ejected rapidly from the micropipettes by ionophoresis.2. Each secretagogue evoked a similar electrical response from the impaled acinar cell: membrane depolarization and a simultaneous reduction in input resistance. The duration of cell activation from caerulein ionophoresis was longer than that observed for ACh and Bn. The cell response to the peptide hormone applications could be repeated in the presence of atropine.3. The minimum interval before the onset of cell depolarization after caerulein ionophoresis was determined. Values ranged between 500 and 1000 msec. The minimum latencies after Bn ionophoresis were 500-1400 msec.4. With two electrodes inserted into electrically coupled acinar cells, direct measurements of the caerulein and Bn null potentials were made. At high negative membrane potentials an enhanced depolarization was evoked by caerulein ionophoresis. At low negative membrane potentials the caerulein stimulation produced a diminished depolarization, and at membrane potentials less than - 10 mV acinar cell hyperpolarizations were observed. A similar series of responses was obtained in experiments where Bn ionophoresis was used. The caerulein and the Bn null potentials were always contained within - 10 to - 15 mV.5. The results describe the almost identical electrical response of acinar cells to stimulation by ACh, caerulein and bombesin. All three secretagogues have similar null potentials and latencies of activation on acinar cells. The bombesin latency responses appear as short as those measured for caerulein and provide electro-physiological evidence that Bn acts directly on acinar cells. The findings support the hypothesis that ACh, caerulein and Bn, though acting on different receptors, evoke the observed changes in electrical properties of acinar cell membranes, through a common pathway.