AJP - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, Vol 248, Issue 6 643-G647, Copyright © 1985 by American Physiological Society
Gastric mucosal barrier: hydrophobicity of stretched stomach lining
B. A. Hills and L. M. Lichtenberger
Surface hydrophobicity of the luminal lining of the canine stomach has been
studied as a very convenient means of following the adsorbed monolayer of
surfactant believed to provide the gastric mucosal barrier. Hydrophobicity
has been measured as the contact angle (theta) produced when a drop of
saline is placed upon the surface. theta was found to decrease from 82 to
62 degrees upon 50% linear extension of samples of oxyntic mucosa from 10
dogs. When the phospholipid believed to cause the hydrophobicity was
absorbed to glass slides, the contact angle was found to decrease with
lower surface concentration. Thinning or "crazing" of the absorbed
surfactant monolayer imparting the very hydrophobic nature of the luminal
lining is discussed as a possible reason why ulcers tend to form at the
crests of the folds, i.e., at points where the surface has been stretched
and the monolayer disrupted.
