| Abstract: | The concentration of plasma glucose in insulin deprived pancreatectomized dogs was decreased from the basal 385 +/- 44 to 65 +/- 12 mg/dL by the infusion of 7 mU X kg-1 X min-1 insulin. During the infusion, the plasma concentration of immunoreactive glucagon (IRG) did not change and hepatic glucose production was decreased. This is in contrast to earlier findings in alloxan diabetic dogs in which plasma IRG decreased in hypoglycaemia. The hypothesis is put forward that, in contrast to pancreatic alpha cells in which the effect of insulin prevails, neither insulin nor a decrease in the ambient concentration of glucose exerts any effect on the secretion of glucagon from extrapancreatic alpha cells. |
