title: Rheology of gastric mucin exhibits a pH-dependent sol-gel transition.
abstract: Gastric mucin, a high molecular weight glycoprotein, is responsible for providing the gel-forming properties and protective function of the gastric mucus layer. Bulk rheology measurements in the linear viscoelastic regime show that gastric mucin undergoes a pH-dependent sol-gel transition from a viscoelastic solution at neutral pH to a soft viscoelastic gel in acidic conditions, with the transition occurring near pH 4. In addition to pH-dependent gelation behavior in this system, further rheological studies under nonlinear deformations reveal shear thinning and an apparent yield stress in this material which are also highly influenced by pH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Celli
authors.forename: Bradley S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Nezam H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Afdhal
authors.forename: Randy H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Ewoldt
authors.forename: Gareth H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: McKinley
authors.forename: Rama
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bansil
authors.forename: Shyamsunder
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Erramilli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005752:Gastric Mucins / Q000737:chemistry*; D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D044367:Phase Transition; D012212:Rheology; D013552:Swine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005752:Gastric Mucins; D005782:Gels