To study the influence of acid base balance on gastric mucosal repair, NH4Cl or NaHCO3 was given intravenously to anesthetized cats after mucosal damage induced by intraluminal 2 M NaCl. Saline at pH 5 or 1 was perfused via an oral tube through the stomach lumen and evacuated via a pyloric tube to a chamber with pH and PCO2 electrodes. Luminal bicarbonate (HCO3-) was markedly increased early after damage in both acidotic and alkalotic animals. In alkalotic animals mucosal blood flow increased about twofold in response to mucosal damage, whereas the early hyperemic response was either completely attenuated or blunted in acidotic animals. HCO3- release was correlated to availability of HCO3- by blood in alkalotic animals with luminal pH 5. Alkalotic animals showed improved repair compared with acidotic animals, and mucosal restitution was correlated to availability of HCO3- by blood. We conclude that luminal leakage of HCO3- or plasma after mucosal damage depends on availability by blood and consumption of HCO3- within the mucosa and that blood borne HCO3- has a major influence on gastric mucosal repair.