Spatial changes in acid secretion from isolated stomach tissue using a pH-histamine sensing microarray

The acid secretion mechanism can be studied by measuring a series of metabolic markers and neurotransmitters from in vitro isolated tissue. A microelectrode array was used to monitor proton concentration and histamine levels from isolated guinea pig stomach tissue. The device was partially modified using iridium oxide to form a series of pH sensors, whereas unmodified gold microelectrodes were used to measure the level of histamine in the gut. Real-time measurements in the presence of the H2-receptor antagonist ranitidine produced significant decreases in the overall Delta pH response, as expected. Also, a significant variation in the Delta pH response in between pH sensors was observed in the presence of pharmacological treatment due to structural features of the tissue. No significant differences in Delta i(H) were detected in the presence of ranitidine as expected. More significantly, clear variations in Delta pH responses between animals in control conditions and those in the presence of ranitidine was observed highlighting possible variation in parietal cell density and/or variations in tissue activity. These results identify great possibilities in applying these multi-sensing devices as a long-term stable personalised diagnostic tool for pharmacological screening and disease status.