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Department of Physiological Sciences, Medical School, University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

1. In conscious cats prepared with gastric fistulae gastric acid secretion in response to pentagastrin was found to reach a maximum after 45 min of stimulation, and to fade thereafter. Over the period 45-150 min of stimulation the fade was 5.4-7.8% of the maximum response per 15 min. 2. Once the response to pentagastrin had declined, acid secretion could not be restored by doubling the dose of pentagastrin, although an equisecretory dose of histamine could restore it. 3. Low doses of histamine were additive to the pentagastrin acid secretory response; they tended to prolong the peak response, but did not alter the subsequent fade of acid secretion. The histamine H1-receptor antagonist mepyramine did not affect maximal acid secretion or the fade of the pentagastrin response. 4. The beta-adrenoreceptor antagonist propranolol increased the secretory response to pentagastrin, whilst the alpha-adrenoreceptor antagonist phentolamine was without effect. Neither agent altered the fade of the pentagastrin response. Isoprenaline tended to inhibit pentagastrin-stimulated acid secretion and increase the rate of fade of the response. 5. The 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptor antagonist methylsergide slightly enhanced the acid secretory response to pentagastrin, but did not alter the fade of the response. A low dose of 5-HT did not alter pentagastrin-stimulated acid secretion, whilst a higher dose of 5-HT inhibited it. 6. Tetra-, penta- and pentadecagastrin demonstrated tachyphylaxis, i.e. progressively reduced responses upon repeated stimulation, whilst histamine did not. A low dose of histamine did not prevent tachyphylaxis of the pentagastrin response. 7. It is concluded that fade of pentagastrin-stimulated acid secretion in the conscious cat cannot be satisfactorily explained by the failure of the acid secretory mechanism, depletion of histamine, release of 5-HT, or activation of histamine H1-, alpha- or beta-adreno-, or 5-HT-receptors. The similar characteristics of fade and tachyphylaxis of gastrin-stimulated acid secretion are consistent with a common gastrin receptor inactivation or desensitization mechanism.