Pancreatic A- and D-cell response to arginine during acute alloxan-induced intra-islet insulinopenia.

This study was performed to investigate the role of pancreatic B-cell function on glucagon and somatostatin response to arginine. Isolated perfused rat pancreas was used for the experiment. Acute B-cell destruction was induced in vitro by 0.56 mM alloxan infused directly into the vascular system of the perfused pancreas. This resulted in a fall in basal insulin release and in a complete absence of hormone response to 20 mM arginine. Glucagon and somatostatin release during metabolic stimulus was superimposable on that observed in the control experiments (no alloxan infusion). We conclude that a normal B-cell function is not required for glucagon and somatostatin response to arginine.