Histamine H2-receptors in the gastric mucosa: role in acid secretion
Tepperman, B.L.; Jacobson, E.D.; Rosenfeld, G.C.
Life Sciences 24(25): 2301-2307
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0024-3205 PMID: 39208 DOI: 10.1016/0024-3205(79)90527-7
Accession: 038944593
Currently, two major hypotheses dominate thinking about the role of histamine in the regulation of gastric acid secretion. Code has proposed that histamine is the final common mediator of secretagogue action on the parietal cell while Konturek and Grossman have suggested a multi-receptor control of the secretory process. Experimental results derived from the use of recently synthesized histamine H2-receptor antagonists have been used by both groups to support their hypotheses. Paradoxically, these hypotheses depend on the presumed specificity of the H2-antagonists in blocking histamine mediated acid secretion while the apparent lack of such secretagogue specificity of the H2-antagonists is an important basis for the development of the hypotheses. Our review will analyze the experimental evidence which implicates the histamine H2-receptor in the control of hydrogen ion secretion as well as evidence for and against receptor specificity in the gastric mucosa of histamine H2-receptor antagonists.