ENDOGENOUS SECRETIN IN CHICKEN - MINOR PHYSIOLOGICAL-ROLE IN EXOCRINE PANCREATIC-SECRETION

The action of secretin (SN) on the exocrine pancreas in the chicken was studied in comparison with the rat and dog. HCl (0.1 N), peptone (5%) and olive oil were introduced into the small intestine of conscious chickens with chronic pancreatic fistula and caused the volume and protein output to increase slightly in about 2/3 of the chickens tested. The percent increase of the volume output in anesthetized chickens by HCl instillation was only 1/10 of that in the rat. Acid extracts of the intestinal mucosa (80 mg) from chickens when given i.v. to rats caused the volume of secretion from the rat pancreas to increase about 2-fold, whereas the extracts from the dog and rat intestine increased the volume output 5.9 and 5.5 times respectively. The increase of pancreatic secretion in chickens by i.v. injection of commercial SN was about 1/3 of that in the rat. Sn or a SN-like hormone may be present in the chicken, but it plays only a minor physiological role.