Galanin and galanin extended at the N-terminus with seven and nine amino acids are produced in and secreted from the porcine adrenal medulla in almost equal amounts.

Galanin is present in high concentrations in porcine adrenals, but nothing is known about the processing and secretion of other products of the 123-amino acid precursor preprogalanin. Using, in combination, RIA against galanin, a variety of chromatographic procedures, mass spectrometry, and amino acid sequencing, we studied the processed and the secreted products of preprogalanin. From the tissue extracts we isolated in equimolar amounts and sequenced two major pools of galanin immunoreactive peptides: galanin and two N-terminally extended forms, preprogalanin-(24-61) and preprogalanin-(26-61). The same peptides were identified upon gel chromatography and analytical HPLC in effluents collected during electrical stimulation of the intact splanchnic nerve supply of an isolated perfused preparation of porcine adrenals. The processing of preprogalanin in porcine adrenals thus includes the formation and release of galanin, preprogalanin-(24-61), and preprogalanin-(26-61). The signal peptidase cleaves the preprogalanin at either Gly23 or Gly25.

Release of immunoreactive somatostatin, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), and galanin during propulsive complexes in isolated pig ileum.

We studied the release of immunoreactive somatostatin, VIP, and galanin during net aboral propulsive complexes (NAP) in isolated, perfused, 80-cm segments of porcine ileum. Net aboral propulsive complexes were induced by controlled infusion of liquid (perfusion medium, 3.5 ml/min) into the proximal opening of the ileum segment. In response to liquid infusion, the ileum segments generated propulsive complexes rapidly propagating along the entire segment in the aboral direction, resulting in emptying of the luminal contents. The NAPs occurred with an average interval of 7 minutes. The concentrations of galanin, somatostatin, and VIP in the venous effluent, which in control experiments without luminal infusion did not change, increased significantly (by 63.6 +/- 23.7%, 43.8 +/- 31.8%, and 38.8 +/- 14.6%, respectively) during NAPs and emptying. Atropine (10(-6) mol/l) and hexamethonium (10(-5) mol/l) abolished both NAP generation and peptide responses. It is concluded that the enteric neuropeptides, somatostatin, VIP, and galanin, all of which have pronounced intestinal motor effects, may participate in the generation of net aboral propulsive complexes in the ileum of the pig, possibly mainly in descending relaxation.

Tachykinins may mediate capsaicin-induced, but not vagally induced motility in porcine antrum.

Tachykinins are thought to be involved in extrinsic control of motility in the gastrointestinal tract. Using the isolated perfused porcine antrum with intact vagal innervation, we studied the effects of substance P, neurokinin A and capsaicin infusion, and electrical stimulation of the vagus nerves on antral motility without or with infusion of non-peptide antagonists for NK-1 receptors (CP96345) and NK-2 receptors (SR48968). Substance P and neurokinin A stimulated antral motility in a dose-dependent manner. The effect could be inhibited by atropine or a combination of the NK-1 and NK-2 receptor antagonists. Electrical stimulation of the vagus nerves and infusion of capsaicin (10(-5) M) stimulated antral motility. Vagally induced motility was not influenced by infusion of CP96345 and SR48968, whereas the effect of capsaicin was blocked. We conclude that tachykinins may be involved in regulation of antral motility through sensory nerves in the porcine antrum, but they do not seem to be involved in vagal regulation of antral motility.

Pigs produce only a single form of CGRP, part of which is processed to N- and C-terminal fragments.

Using radioimmunoassays with two different antisera, one directed towards the C-terminal and one towards the mid part of porcine and human alpha-CGRP, respectively, we isolated three immunoreactive peptides from acid/ethanol extracts of porcine spinal cord by means of HPLC. By amino acid sequence analysis and mass spectrometry (PDMS), the most abundant peptide was found to be identical to the 37 residue CGRP previously isolated from porcine adrenal glands and spinal cord. The two remaining peptides were identified as pCGRP(18-37) and pCGRP(19-37). Furthermore, the oxidized forms (oxidized Met in position 22) of all three peptides were isolated. We extracted a large amount of tissue and the extractable peptides were purified without discarding side fractions. The purification steps were monitored by immunochemical methods that are highly sensitive for human alpha- and beta-CGRP. Yet we were unable to detect any second full-length form of CGRP. Thus, we conclude that only a single form of full-length CGRP is found in pigs and that this peptide may be cleaved to produce potentially bioactive N- and C-terminal fragments.

Substance P and neurokinin A are codistributed and colocalized in the porcine gastrointestinal tract.

Immunoreactive substance P and neurokinin A were measured with radioimmunoassay in extracts of different segments of porcine gastrointestinal tract using C-terminally directed antisera. In all segments, the concentrations of substance P and neurokinin A were similar. The largest concentrations of both peptides were found in the mid-colon. By gel chromatography and reversed-phase high pressure liquid chromatography the immunoreactivity in extracts from ileum eluted as homogenous peptides at the positions of synthetic substance P and neurokinin A, respectively. No neurokinin B was found. By immunohistochemistry of porcine duodenum, jejunum, ileum and mid-colon, identical localization patterns were found for substance P and neurokinin A, and the two peptides demonstrated by double immunofluorescence to be colocalized in the enteric nervous system of the ileum. We conclude that the tachykinins substance P and neurokinin A are codistributed and colocalized in the procine gastrointestinal tract and suggest that the two peptides are produced from a common precursor, beta- and/or gamma-preprotachykinin, in the same neurons.

Localisation and neural control of the release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) from the isolated perfused porcine ileum.

By immunohistochemistry, CGRP-like immunoreactive (CGRP-LI) nerve fibres were found in the lamina propria along small vessels and in the lamina muscularis mucosae in the porcine ileum. Immunoreactive nerve cell bodies were found in the submucous and myenteric plexus. Upon HPLC-analysis of ileal extracts, CGRP-LI corresponded entirely to porcine CGRP plus smaller amounts of oxidised CGRP. Using isolated vascularly perfused segments of the ileum, we studied the release of CGRP-LI in response to electrical stimulation of the mixed extrinsic periarterial nerves and to infusion of different neuroblockers. In addition, the effect of infusion of capsaicin was studied. The basal output of CGRP-LI was 2.9+/-0.7 pmol/5 min (mean+/-S.D.). Electrical nerve stimulation (8 Hz) significantly increased the release of CGRP-LI to 167+/-16% (mean+/-S.E.M.) of the basal output (n=13). This response was unaffected by the addition of atropine (10(-6) M). Nerve stimulation during infusion of phentolamine (10(-5) M) with and without additional infusion of atropine resulted in a significant further increase in the release of CGRP-LI to 261+/-134% (n=5) and 240+/-80% (n=9), respectively. This response was abolished by infusion of hexamethonium (3x10(-5) M). Infusion of capsaicin (10(-5) M) caused a significant increase in the release of CGRP-LI to 485+/-82% of basal output (n=5). Our results suggest a dual origin of CGRP innervation of the porcine ileum (intrinsic and extrinsic). The intrinsic CGRP neurons receive excitatory input by parasympathetic, possibly vagal, preganglionic fibres, via release of acetylcholine acting on nicotinic receptors. The stimulatory effect of capsaicin suggests that CGRP is also released from extrinsic sensory neurons.

Renal uptake and excretion of epidermal growth factor from plasma in the rat.

The rat excretes around 2 nmol epidermal growth factor (EGF) in the urine per 24 h. The urinary EGF might be derived from plasma and/or might be synthesized in the kidneys. We have used the rat to study the renal uptake and excretion of homologous EGF from plasma. I.v. injected 125I-EGF was removed from the circulation within a few minutes. 5 min after the injection, the kidneys contained 12% of the 125I-EGF. The kidneys seemed to degrade most of the 125I-EGF which they accumulated from blood, as only 4% of the injected label was excreted as intact 125I-EGF in the urine. The amount of endogenous EGF in plasma was under the detection limit of our enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (0.03 nmol/l) and it remained so after bilateral nephrectomy. Even if plasma EGF was 0.03 nmol/l excretion of EGF from plasma could account for less than 5% of the urinary EGF. This study shows that the kidneys are able to accumulate EGF from plasma and excrete a part of it as intact EGF in the urine. However, excretion of immunoreactive EGF from plasma can only account for a minor part of the urinary EGF.

Metabolism of i.v. administered 45 kDa epidermal growth factor in the rat.

The 45 kDa epidermal growth factor (EGF-(45 kDa)) has been purified from rat urine. We have investigated the distribution and the processing of i.v. injected 125I-labeled EGF-(45 kDa) in the rat. 2.5 min after the i.v. injection only 12% of the label remained in the blood. Most of the label was found in the liver (54%), in the kidneys (7%) and in the skin (4%). The submandibular glands, stomach, small intestine, colon, spleen and lungs contained 1% or less of the radioactivity. Some of the 125I-EGF-(45 kDa) was processed to 125I-EGF-(6 kDa) immunoreactivity in the liver and in the kidneys. The kidneys excreted 125I-EGF-(45 kDa) in the urine, but we were not able to demonstrate 125I-EGF-(6 kDa) in urine. In conclusion, this study shows that homologous EGF-(45 kDa) is cleared from the circulation of rats within a few minutes, mainly by the liver and the kidneys. In vivo both the liver and the kidneys are able to process some of the EGF-(45 kDa) to EGF-(6 kDa) immunoreactivity.

Effect of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) on motility and on the release of substance P, neurokinin A, somatostatin and gastrin in the isolated perfused porcine antrum.

We studied the effect of porcine CGRP (pCGRP) in concentrations from 10(-10) to 10(-8) mol L(-1) on the motility and on the release of substance P, neurokinin A, somatostatin and gastrin in the antrum using the isolated perfused porcine antrum as experimental model. In addition, we studied the localization of CGRP by immunohistochemistry in the porcine antrum. CGRP-immunoreactive nerve fibres were found mainly in the submucous layer and in the external muscle coat, where they were seen in all layers, and in the ganglia of the myenteric nervous plexus. The frequency of contraction was significantly and dose-dependently increased from a basal level of 11.8 +/- 0.5 contractions per 5 min to 24.4 +/- 3.6 contractions per 5 min at pCGRP 10(-8) mol L(-1). At this dose, the release of substance P and neurokinin A was significantly increased to 470 +/- 149% and 217 +/- 26%, respectively, compared to basal release. The effect of pCGRP was unaffected by the addition of the nonpeptide antagonists for the NK-1 (CP-99994) and NK-2 receptors (SR48968), both at 10(-6) mol L(-1), whereas atropine (10(-6) mol L(-1)) completely abolished the motor effect of pCGRP. The release of somatostatin was significantly increased by 154 +/- 15% in response to CGRP at 10(-8) mol L(-1). The release of gastrin was unaffected by pCGRP. In conclusion, pCGRP increases contractile activity in the porcine antrum, an effect that involves cholinergic mechanisms but is independent of the release of substance P and neurokinin A. in addition, pCGRP increases the release of somatostatin but has no effect on gastrin release in the isolated perfused porcine antrum.

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a potent regulator of biliary flow.

This study was designed to investigate the effect of porcine calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) on the motility of the porcine biliary tract in vivo. We measured the pressure in the gallbladder and sphincter of Oddi and, in separate experiments, the biliary flow into the duodenum during local intraarterial infusions of CGRP. To determine if the observed effect could be caused by release of cholecystokinin (CCK), we measured the CCK release. The basal pressure in the sphincter of Oddi increased dose-dependently from 5.9 +/- 0.5 mmHg to 11.5 +/- 2.1 mmHg and the motility index of phasic contractions (amplitude x frequency) from 47 +/- 8 to 347 +/- 64 mmHg s-1, at an infusion rate of 32.6 pmol kg-1 min-1. No effect was observed on the gallbladder pressure. CGRP at 6.5 pmol kg-1 min-1 significantly reduced the biliary flow into the duodenum to 47.7 +/- 6% of the basal level. Atropine, injected intravenously, completely abolished the contractile effect of CGRP. CGRP had no effect on the release of CCK. We conclude that CGRP increases biliary motility and hereby reduces bile flow, an effect which involves cholinergic but not cholecystokininergic mechanisms.

Effect of intestinal inhibitory peptides on vagally induced secretion from isolated perfused porcine pancreas.

Several gastrointestinal peptides inhibit pancreatic secretion in intact animals, but fail to do so in isolated pancreas preparations. Using isolated perfused porcine pancreas with intact innervation, we studied the influence of such peptides (somatostatin, peptide YY, glucagon-like peptide-1, oxyntomodulin, neuropeptide Y, galanin, and calcitonin gene-related peptide) on vagally induced secretion and on release of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), a neuropeptide involved in fluid and bicarbonate secretion. In control experiments electrical vagus stimulation increased flow of juice from 0.9 +/- 0.1 to 37.3 +/- 5.6 ml/h and protein output from 43 +/- 5 to 1,244 +/- 336 mg/h (mean +/- SD). With somatostatin-14 at 10(-10) mol/L, the fluid response was reduced to 64 +/- 11% of controls, protein concentration to 78 +/- 3.8%, and protein output to 50 +/- 5% (p < 0.05). At 10(-8) M the response was almost abolished. VIP release, which in control experiments increased from 0.2 +/- 0.05 to 2.1 +/- 0.4 pmol/min, was similarly reduced (p < 0.01). Galanin at 10(-8) M inhibited the fluid response to 54 +/- 7% of controls, protein output to 51.7 +/- 11%, and VIP release to 54 +/- 6% (p < 0.01). None of the other inhibitory peptides affected vagus responses. It is concluded that somatostatin and galanin inhibit pancreatic secretion through interaction with intrapancreatic ganglia. The other peptides act on extrapancreatic, possibly central sites.

Tachykinins in the porcine pancreas: potent exocrine and endocrine effects via NK-1 receptors.

The localization, release, and effects of substance P and neurokinin A were studied in the porcine pancreas and the localization of substance P immunoreactive nerve fibers was examined by immunohistochemistry. The effects of electrical vagus stimulation and capsaicin infusion on tachykinin release and the effects of substance P and neurokinin A infusion on insulin, glucagon, somatostatin, and exocrine secretion were studied using the isolated perfused porcine pancreas with intact vagal innervation. NK-1 and NK-2 receptor antagonists were used to investigate receptor involvement. Substance P immunoreactive nerve fibers were localized to islets of Langerhans, acini, ducts, and blood vessels. Vagus stimulation had no effect on substance P and neurokinin A release, whereas capsaicin infusion stimulated release of both. Substance P and neurokinin A infusion increased release of insulin, glucagon, and exocrine secretion, whereas somatostatin secretion was unaffected. The effect of substance P on insulin, glucagon, and exocrine secretion was blocked by the NK-1 receptor antagonist. The effect of electrical stimulation of vagus nerves on insulin and exocrine secretion was not influenced by tachykinin receptor antagonists. We conclude that tachykinins stimulate both endocrine and exocrine pancreatic functions through NK-1 receptors. Tachykinins are not involved in vagal regulation of pancreatic secretion in pigs but could constitute part of an alternative stimulatory system.

Isolation and molecular characterization of porcine calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and its endocrine effects in the porcine pancreas.

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible role of porcine calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the regulation of the endocrine porcine pancreas. Initially, we isolated and purified CGRP from extracts of porcine adrenal glands and pancreases. A single molecular form of the peptide was found in the two tissues. The adrenal peptide was sequenced and found to differ from human alpha-CGRP at six positions and from human beta-CGRP at three positions. By immunohistochemistry, CGRP was found in nerve fibers in the pancreatic ganglia. A synthetic replica of the porcine peptide was infused at different dose levels (10(-10), 10(-9), and 10(-8) M) into isolated perfused porcine pancreata. With 5 mmol/L glucose in the perfusate. CGRP at 10(-10) and 10(-9) M increased insulin and glucagon secretion, whereas significant decreases were observed with 10(-8) M. Somatostatin secretion was increased significantly by 10(-8) M CGRP. In immunoneutralization studies (n = 6) using a high-affinity somatostatin antibody, the inhibitory effect of CGRP at 10(-8) M was reversed to a significant stimulation of insulin and glucagon secretion. Insulin secretion in response to square-wave increases in glucose concentration to 11 mM was inhibited dose dependently by CGRP; at 10(-8) M the insulin output decreased by 72+/-9% (n = 6). The present results indicate that CGRP may be involved in the regulation of insulin and glucagon secretion from the porcine pancreas.

Gas explosion during diathermy gastrotomy.

The first report of rupture of the stomach due to diathermy-elicited gas explosion during gastrotomy in a patient with intestinal ischemia resulting in obstruction and jejunal and gastric dilatation is presented. In the obstructed stomach or small bowel, a proliferation of hydrogen- and methane-producing bacteria can occur, leading to the accumulation of these combustible gases in explosive concentrations. In cases of gastrointestinal tract obstruction, the diathermy knife should not be used in entering the gastrointestinal lumen.

Fate of the rectum after colectomy and ileostomy for Crohn's colitis.

Eighty-four patients had colectomy with ileostomy and oversewing of the rectum for Crohn's colitis. Seventy-two patients were operated on because of intractable disease, colitis in combination with rectal fistulas, and toxic megacolon. The operative mortality was 6 percent, and neither emergency surgery nor treatment with steroids correlated with operative morbidity. After a median 7.7 years of follow-up, 25 ileorectal anastomoses had been undertaken, 16 of which were successful. Twenty-nine protectomies were performed; the resulting 10-year cumulative risk of proctectomy was 50 percent. While the risk of proctectomy was significantly less among patients with a normal rectum at colectomy compared with patients with proctitis, the initial macroscopic degree of proctitis did not correlate with the risk of subsequent proctectomy. The 5-year cumulative ileal resection rate in 29 patients with a rectum in situ but out of circuit was 29 percent. The possibility of a future ileorectal anastomosis should still be considered in patients with proctocolitis.

Nervous control of the release of substance P and neurokinin A from the isolated perfused porcine ileum.

Using isolated perfused porcine ileum we studied the release of substance P (SP) and neurokinin A (NKA) in response to electrical stimulation of the mixed periarterial nerves and to infusion of different neuroactive agents. Nerve stimulation (8 Hz) had no significant effect on the release of SP and NKA. Nerve stimulation also had no effect on the release of SP and NKA during infusion of atropine (10(-6) M) or phentolamine (10(-5) M), whereas a significant increase (from 8.2 +/- 1.9 to 20.1 +/- 4.6 pmol/l for SP and from 12.3 +/- 2.7 to 34.2 +/- 7.7 pmol/l for NKA, n = 7) was observed during nerve stimulation after pretreatment with both atropine and phentolamine. This increase was abolished by hexamethonium (3 x 10(-5) M). Also acetylcholine infusion causes a significant release of SP and NKA after infusion of both atropine and phentolamine (to 172 +/- 56% and 232 +/- 69% of basal release, n = 7), an effect that was abolished by hexamethonium infusion. Infusion of atropine alone increased the release of SP and NKA significantly (to 337 +/- 92% and 386 +/- 124% of basal output, n = 5). Norepinephrine (10(-6) M) inhibited the release of SP and NKA (to 69 +/- 6% and 80 +/- 6% of basal release, n = 7). Our results suggest that the SP- and NKA-producing neurons receive intrinsic tonic muscarinic inhibitory impulses, extrinsic nicotinic excitatory impulses, and extrinsic adrenergic inhibitory impulses.

Tachykinins stimulate acid and pepsinogen secretion in the isolated porcine stomach.

The precise role of tachykinins in regulation of acid and pepsinogen secretion has not been established. Tachykininergic effects on acid and pepsinogen secretion could be mediated either directly in the proximal stomach or through other indirect mechanisms, i.e. gastrin secretion. We studied the effects of the two tachykinins, substance P and neurokinin A, and of capsaicin, on acid and pepsinogen output, in isolated porcine non-antral stomach preparation. The release of substance P and neurokinin A was studied during electrical stimulation of the vagal nerves, and during capsaicin infusion. Substance P infusion (10-8 M) increased acid secretion from 30 +/- 8 to 68 +/- 17 fmol min-1 (n=6, P < 0.05) and pepsinogen output from 46 +/- 12 to 160 +/- 47 units of pepsin min-1 (n=9, P < 0.05). Neurokinin A also stimulated both acid and pepsinogen secretion, while capsaicin had no effect on either parameter. Electrical stimulation of the vagal nerves increased the release of both peptides. We conclude that tachykinins may be involved in regulation of acid and pepsinogen secretion.

Role of nitric oxide in neurally induced pancreatic exocrine secretion in pigs.

Formation of NO, enzymatically catalyzed by NO synthases in both endothelial cells and autonomic nerves, seems to explain some noncholinergic nonadrenergic tissue reactions. We studied the possible role of NO in vagally induced pancreatic exocrine secretion using isolated perfused porcine pancreas (n = 11) with intact vagus nerve (VN) supply. Electrical stimulation of the VN (8 Hz, 10 mA) and infusions of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP, 2 x 10(-9) M) were carried out before and after addition to the perfusate of the NO synthase inhibitors N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 10(-4) M) or NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA, 10(-5) M) with and without further addition of L-arginine (10(-3) M). We also studied the effects of L-arginine alone and of sodium nitroprusside (10(-4) M). In all experiments VN and VIP caused a profuse exocrine secretion (43 +/- 7 and 44 +/- 11 times basal secretion). The inhibitors increased vascular resistance approximately twofold but had no effect on the vascular relaxation caused by VIP and VN. The exocrine fluid response to VN was reduced to 19 +/- 5 and 4.7 +/- 1.8% (L-NAME and L-NNA), and response to VIP was reduced to 54 +/- 12 and 35 +/- 13%. Protein and bicarbonate outputs largely paralleled flow rate. Addition of L-arginine (no effects alone) to L-NAME restored the responses to VN (to 100 +/- 21% of controls) and increased VIP responses (to 65 +/- 11%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the nipple of the rat mammary gland.

The distribution of nerve fibres immunoreactive to calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) was investigated by immunohistochemistry in nipples and mammary glands from lactating and non-lactating rats and compared to the immunoreactivity of other neuropeptides including substance P (SP), neuropeptide Y (NPY), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and somatostatin (SOM). The study revealed an extensive innervation of the mammary nipples, in which CGRP-immunoreactive (IR) nerve fibres were abundantly present in the epidermis, dermal connective tissue and intralobular connective tissue of the mammary gland parenchyma. Several of the dermal CGRP-IR fibres seemed to follow blood vessels, or formed "ringlet-like" structures. The latter were mostly observed in the dermal connective tissue of the nipple from the lactating rat and may have a mechanoreceptive function, e.g. for the suckling stimuli. The location of SP-IR appeared to be comparable to CGRP-IR, but in fewer fibres. Dense NPY-IR networks of nerve fibres were closely associated with the fascicles of smooth musculature in the core of the nipple base. In contrast, VIP-IR fibres were only sparsely present, and SOM-IR was not detected in the mammary nipples. The immunoreactive content of CGRP and SP was determined by radioimmunoassays. The total amount of immunoreactive CGRP was significantly higher in the nipples from the pregnant and the lactating rats when compared to SP. The maximum concentration of CGRP (65.9 +/- 4.0 pmol/g) measured in the nipples of the pregnant (day 10) rats exceeded almost ninefold the maximum concentration of SP (7.7 +/- 2.0 pmol/g).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Immunohistochemical localization of pancreatic spasmolytic polypeptide (PSP) in the pig.

Pancreatic spasmolytic polypeptide (PSP) is a peptide that is isolated from the porcine pancreas and that affects intestinal motility and growth of intestinal tumour cells in vitro. The peptide was recently demonstrated to be present in large amounts in pancreatic juice. The cellular origin of the peptide, however, is largely unclarified and the localization was therefore studied of PSP in pigs using immunohistochemistry. Positive immunoreactions were seen in the pancreas, the stomach, the duodenum, the jejunum and the ileum. In the pancreas, the PSP immunoreaction was seen in all acinar cells; no immunoreaction was seen in the endocrine islets. In the stomach, it was localized to the mucous cells of the glands in the cardiac gland region, the corpus and the pylorus. In the duodenum a strong immunoreaction was present in Brunner's glands and in the cells of their excretory ducts. In the jejunum and ileum, PSP immunoreactivity was seen in some of the cells in the epithelium of the crypts of Lieberkühn. A peptide chromatographically identical to highly purified PSP was identified in pancreas and stomach extracts. Thus epithelial cells in all parts of the stomach and small intestine contribute to the supply of PSP to the gut lumen.