The stomach secretes the gastric juice, which is a mixture of the secretions of the surface epithelial cells and the secretions of the cells of the gastric glands, which include mucous cells, chief cells and parietal cells.
Among the important components of the gastric JUice IS hydrochloric acid (Hel), salts, pepsins, water, mucus, bicarbonate and
I .
intrinsic factor. Secretion of all these components increases after a meal.
. (Feldman 1993)
Ionic composition of the gastric juice:
This depends on the rate of secretion, the higher the secretory rate the higher is the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+). At lower rates hydrogen decreases and sodium (Na+) increases but potassium (K+) concentration is always higher than that in plasma. At all rates of secretion chloride (Cn ion is the major anion of gastric juice.