Secretion of glucagon from the isolated, perfused canine pancreas

Abstract

Using the isolated, perfused canine pancreas preparation, previously described, the interrelationship of the secretion of pancreatic glucagon and insulin was studied after stimulation with glucose, gastrointestinal hormones, and the amino acid arginine. The results confirm the concept that pancreatic glucagon is a hormone of "glucose need" and suggest that it may be important in a moment to moment control of glucoregulation. The secretion of pancreatic glucagon was stimulated after infusion of gastrin, pancreozymin, and arginine, while no increase was associated with secretin infusion. The magnitude of the increase was closely related to the glucose concentration present in the perfusion medium, being higher and more pronounced during perfusion with low concentrations of glucose (25 mg/100 ml or 50 mg/100 ml). Stimulation of insulin secretion was seen after glucose, gastrin, pancreozymin, secretin, and arginine. The magnitude of the increase was again closely related to the glucose concentration present, this time being higher and more pronounced during perfusion with high glucose concentrations (150 mg/100 ml). Secretion of both pancreatic hormones always followed a biphasic response pattern after the stimuli mentioned, similar to the characteristic release pattern previously described for insulin after an increment in glucose concentration. In order to elucidate whether endogenous pancreatic glucagon possesses an insulinogenic action, as it has been shown to be the case with the administration of exogenous pancreatic glucagon, the time interrelationship of the secretion of pancreatic glucagon and insulin was investigated by determining the initial rise of the hormones after stimulation with gastrin, pancreozymin, and arginine. The rise of glucagon and insulin occurred simultaneously, i.e. inside a 10 sec period. This does not, however, exclude with certainty an insulinogenic role of pancreatic glucagon.