In the cephalic phase, secretion of acid by parietal cells is stimulated by

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The cephalic phase of gastric secretion is initiated by the sight, smell, taste, or thought of food, which triggers vagal afferents. These afferents can directly stimulate parietal cells with acetylcholine (A), stimulate G cells to release gastrin (which in turn stimulates parietal cells) through GRP (B), and stimulate ECL cells to release histamine, which also acts on parietal cells (C). Therefore, all of the mechanisms listed contribute to the stimulation of acid secretion by parietal cells during the cephalic phase.

In the Cephalic Phase, Secretion of Acid by Parietal Cells