EXPERIMENTAL AND CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE ROLE OF ENDOGENOUS AND ON THE EFFECT OF EXOGENOUS PROSTACYCLIN IN GASTRIC-MUCOSA - A PERSONAL VIEW

In the gastric mucosa the exogenously administered prostacyclin seems to have a polyphasic effect which contains the following consecutive steps: 1. Binding to the cell surface; 2. Effect on the intracellular ''second messenger system'', i.e. on the cyclic nucleotide (cAMP, cGMP) turnover; 3. Activation of the calmodulin-system; 4. cAMP-dependent protein kinase activation; 5. Nucleic acid,- DNA, RNA,- changes; 6. Influence on protein synthesis and finally; 7. New cell formation. On the other hand, the endogenous (mucosal) prostacyclin exerts a natural protection against different damaging noxae.