[Insulin content in the pancreas and blood plasma of decapitated and encephalectomized rat fetuses].

Insulin content in the pancreas and blood plasma of encephalectomized, decapitated and intact rat fetuses was measured by radioimmunoassay. Encephalectomy and decapitation of 17.5-day-old fetuses did not produce any significant effect on insulin concentration in the pancreas and blood plasma of 21-day-old fetuses. Injection of glucose to 21-day-old operated fetuses raised insulin secretion, which seems to be related to the potentiating action of maternal and (or) fetal humoral factors. The data obtained indicate that synthesis and basal secretion of insulin to the blood are not disturbed by the lack of the hypothalamohypophyseal control in prenatal rats.