Nervous control of gastro-pancreatic somatostatin secretion in pigs

The influence of the autonomic nervous system on the secretion of somatostatin from the antral and the fundic parts of the stomach and from the pancreas of the pig was investigated in experiments involving electrical stimulation of the vagal nerves and the splanchnic nerves in (1) intact, anesthetized pigs and (2) isolated perfused preparations of (a) antrum with intact vagal supply, (b) pancreas with intact vagal supply, (c) pancrease with intact sympathetic supply. The results clearly demonstrated that parasympathetic activity inhibits D-cell function in all gastro-pancreatic tissues; antral gastrin secretion was inversely correlated to somatostatin secretion and it is suggest that antral D-cell secretion participates in the control of gastrin secretion; the inhibitory effect of Gastric Inhibitory Polypeptide (GIP) as well as intraluminal HCl on gastrin secretion may be exerted via the stimulatory effect of both on somatostatin secretion. The sympathetic innervation of the pancreas is also clearly inhibitory to the pancreatic somatostatin secretion, whereas sympathetic nervous activity influences little the gastric somatostatin release.