We studied the functional coupling between antral somatostatin and gastrin cells in pigs using isolated perfused preparations of the antrum with intact supply of the vagus nerves. Luminal acidification significantly inhibited gastrin secretion to 61 +/- 3% of basal secretion and increased somatostatin output 9-fold. Intra-arterial infusion of somatostatin to concentrations of 10(-10) and 10(-9) mol/l inhibited gastrin secretion to 18 +/- 9 and 33 +/- 11% of basal secretion. Electrical stimulation of the vagus nerves and intra-arterial infusion of gastrin-releasing polypeptide (GRP; 10(-9) mol/l) significantly increased both gastrin and somatostatin secretion. Addition to the perfusate of Fab fragments of somatostatin antibodies abolished the effect of somatostatin at 10(-10) mol/l and the acid inhibition of gastrin secretion, but had no effect on the response to vagus stimulation of GRP infusion. We conclude that a local release of somatostatin is essential for the acid-induced inhibition of gastrin secretion, whereas changes in the local somatostatin concentration are unlikely to play a major role in vagally or GRP-induced gastrin secretion.