Osmoltye and tryptophan receptors controlling gastric emptying in the dog

The effect of three monosaccharides, three disaccharides, two dipeptides, combinations of tryptophan with two hexoses, one hexitol, and two amino acids ongastric emptying was studied in dogs to further define the samll intestinal receptors responsive to osmolytes and tryptophan. On a molar basis the disacchardies and dipeptides were almost twice as potent as their respective constituent monosaccharides or amino acids implying that the osmoreceptor is deep to the brush border disaccharidases and cytosol dipeptidases. Tryptophan probably acts by a mechanism different from the osmoreceptor since slowing of gastric emptying by tryptophan was inhibited by methionine which has no effect on a stimulant of the osmoreceptor mechanism. Lysine unlike methionine does not share the neutral amino acid transport pathway with tryptophan. Lysine did not change the inhibitory effect of tryptophan on gastric emptying. This imples that transport of tryptophan into the intestinal cell is necessary for its slowing effect. Glucose and galactose also inhibited the tryptophan effect whereas a nonabsorbed hexitor, mannitol, was without effect. Interference by the hexoses was also probably by competition with tryptophan for transport into the cell. These studies further indicate that the tryptophan receptor is different from the osmoreceptor.