Electrical Potential Difference at the Gastroduodenal Mucosal Junction

Abstract

It has long been known that the mucosal surface of the upper gastrointestinal tract is electrically negative with respect to serosa, skin and blood. The size of the electrical potential difference (P D), measured in millivolts (mV), is greatest in the oxyntic mucosal zone in the corpus of the stomach. Andersson and Grossman (1965) found that the mucosal surface of the corpus was at a potential of -44mV with respect to blood, while the figures for the “antrum” and duodenal bulb were -35mV and -7mV respectively. When an intraluminal electrode was manipulated from the duodenum into the stomach, there was a change to a more negative potential in the stomach. The greatest change in PD occurred as the electrode passed from the duodenum into the stomach. It occurred abruptly, was uniform, sharp, well-defined and coincided with what they called the anatomical sphincter (the pyloric ring) and the mucosal border. It was shown by these authors as well as by Durbin (1967) that the change in PD was a reliable means of identifying the gastroduodenal junction.