CHANGES IN ISLET BLOOD-FLOW IN RATS WITH NIDDM

Islet blood flow was quantified in NIDDM rats either of the GK strain on after neonatal injection of STZ (nO-STZ), using the non-radioactive microsphere technique. In the basal state, there was a good correlati on between plasma insulin level and islet blood flow, i.e. both were i ncreased or decreased in comparison to those of control rats in GK and nO-STZ rats, respectively. The increased islet blood flow and plasma insulin levels observed in the GK rats were abolished by bilateral sub diaphragmatic vagotomy. During a glucose challenge, whereas plasma ins ulin and islet blood flow were doubled in control rats, these paramete rs were not modified in the diabetic rats. These data demonstrate an a lteration in the islet blood flow of diabetic rats during a glucose ch allenge which could participate in the abnormal glucose-induced insuli n secretion previously described in these two models.