IMPAIRED INSULIN RELEASE IN AGING RATS - METABOLIC AND IONIC EVENTS

We investigated the effect of aging on glucose uptake, glucose-induced O2 consumption, glucose-induced Ca-45 movements, and calmodulin conte nt to elucidate age-related impairment of glucose-induced insulin rele ase in pancreatic islets of Wistar rats. Intact pancreatic islets from old (24-month-old) rats showed impaired glucose-induced insulin relea se; glucose uptake and O2 Consumption were lower in old than in young (2-month-old) or adult (12-month-old) rats. Moreover, Ca-45 uptake and calmodulin content were decreased in pancreatic islets from older rat s, which explained the impairment in glucose-induced insulin release i n aging. No major differences between the 3 age groups in glucose-indu ced Ca-45 efflux in pancreatic islets were observed.