An anti-insulin serum, but not a glucagon antagonist, alters glycemia in fed chickens

Attempts at altering plasma glucose and, as a consequence, food intake were performed in fed broiler chickens by single iv injection of des-His(1) (Gl u(9)) glucagon amide (a glucagon antagonist) or a non-stimulating anti-insu lin serum. Plasma glucose level was not altered by des-His(1) (Glu(9)) gluc agon amide but was rapidly and largely increased (for at least 2 h) by the injection of the insulin-immune serum. Hour and cumulative food intake were unaltered up to 10 h post injection. These results strongly suggest that i n fed chickens, plasma glucose is mainly, if not exclusively, controlled by plasma insulin, and that the transient and heavy hyperglycemia evoked by i nhibiting insulin action does not alter food intake.