What hormone is produced by G cells in the pyloric antrum?

G cells in the pyloric antrum of the stomach are responsible for producing the hormone gastrin. Gastrin plays a crucial role in the digestive process by stimulating the secretion of gastric acid (HCl) from parietal cells in the stomach lining. This acid is essential for breaking down food and providing an optimal environment for digestive enzymes to function.

Additionally, gastrin promotes gastric motility, enhancing the movement and mixing of food within the stomach. It can also stimulate the growth of the gastric mucosa, contributing to maintaining the integrity of the stomach lining. The production of gastrin is part of a feedback mechanism that regulates the digestive process, responding to the presence of food in the stomach.

The other hormones mentioned serve different functions in the digestive system. Secretin is produced by the S cells in the small intestine and regulates pH by promoting bicarbonate secretion from the pancreas. Histamine, produced by enterochromaffin-like cells in the gastric mucosa, helps to regulate gastric acid secretion but is not produced by G cells. Somatostatin, produced by D cells, inhibits gastric acid secretion and has a regulatory role in various physiological processes but is not secreted by G cells in the pyloric antrum.