Effect of Sustained Hyperglycemia on the Release of Insulin From the Isolated Perfused Rat Pancreas

Abstract

The modulation of insulin release from the isolated pancreas using normal rats rendered hyperglycemic by in vivo glucose infusion was studied. In 24h and 48h hyperglycemic rats, the increase in the amount of insulin released was reduced in response to glucose challenge, but was unchanged in relation to arginine challenge. In 48h hyperglycemic rats insulin secretion after glucagon challenge was preserved. It was concluded that hyperglycemia itself makes the pancreatic B-cell selectively insensitive to glucose.