[Circulating types of human glucagon (author's transl)].

In the plasma of healthy subjects, 4 fractions of immunoreactive glucagon are found. The first has a molecular weight of about 160000, the second of 9000, the third 3500 and the fourth about 2000. The third probably corresponds to the intact hormone glucagon. In cirrhosis of the liver and diabetes mellitus, a statistically significant rise in the third fraction has been found. In patients with tumors of the pancreatic A-cells, in addition to the third fraction the second in particular was also increased: it may be a precursor of the glucagon molecule. In chronic renal insufficiency, fractions 2 and 3 were as markedly increased as in glucagonoma, which suggests a role for the kidney in the decomposition of glucagon. The pathophysiologic significance of the four immunoreactive fractions of glucagon cannot yet be assessed with certainty.