The response of the intracellular pH (pHi) to stimulation of enzyme secretion in pancreatic acini was measured using the fluorescent dye 2'-7'-bis(carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein. Acini suspended in pH 7.40 buffer demonstrated cytoplasmic alkalinization of 0.17, 0.14, and 0.15 pH units 2 min after addition of the secretagogues carbachol (10(-5) M), caerulein (10(-10) M), and bromo-A23187 (10(-6) M). Corresponding net stimulated amylase secretion over 30 min was 9.2, 10.3, and 5.6% of total content, respectively. Pretreatment of acini with atropine blocked the pHi rise induced by carbachol; addition of atropine 2 min after the carbachol did not reverse the alkalinization. Acini suspended in Ca2+ free buffer containing 0.1 or 0.2 mM ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid showed 0.21 and 0.10 pH unit alkalinization in response to caerulein (10(-10) M) and carbachol (10(-5) M) but no change in pHi after addition of bromo-A23187. Amylase release in response to increasing concentrations of caerulein was maximal at 10(-10) M, with decreasing rates of amylase release at higher drug concentrations (10(-8), 10(-7) M). Alkalinization in response to stimulation of secretion was maximal at 10(-8) M caerulein (0.30 pH units at 2 min) but was of lesser magnitude at 10(-7) M. Pancreatic acini demonstrated autoregulation of pHi over a range of external pH from 7.4 to 7.1. Net amylase release over 30 min in response to 10(-5) M carbachol was sustained at normal levels in buffers of pH varying between 7.7 and 6.5. In contrast, cytoplasmic alkalinization in response to carbachol occurred only in buffers with pH values between 7.40 and 7.10. These results indicate that amylase release occurs over a wide range of pHi and is not invariably associated with secretagogue-induced alkalinization.