H. Moes et al., ARGININE STIMULATED GLUCAGON AND INSULIN-SECRETION BY ISLETS OF LANGERHANS OF PREGNANT AND LACTATING RATS, Hormone and Metabolic Research, 25(5), 1993, pp. 246-249
Glucagon secretion by isolated pancreatic rat islets was not affected
by an increase of the glucose concentration from 2.5 to 5.0 mM, but wa
s stimulated by 25 mM arginine. This stimulation was only slightly inc
reased by pregnancy and lactation. Insulin secretion increased, when t
he glucose concentration was raised from 2.5 to 5.0 mM, especially in
pregnant islets and was also stimulated by arginine. The arginine stim
ulated insulin release was greatly augmented during late pregnancy and
lactation. Islet content did not reflect the changes in secretion: gl
ucagon content increased in the course of pregnancy and lactation, whi
le insulin content was increased during late pregnancy, but not during
lactation. It is concluded that, unlike insulin, glucagon is only mar
ginally involved in the increase in anabolism during pregnancy and lac
tation.