The blood flow to the pancreas and the islets of Langerhans during an intraperitoneal glucose load in the rat.

The pancreatic blood flow (PBF) and the islet blood flow (IBF) of the rat have been calculated with the aid of the microsphere technique at various times after an intraperitoneal injection of 2 ml of a 30% glucose solution or of 0.9% saline. There was an increase in PBF at 5 min (p less than 0.05) and 25 min (p less than 0.05) after the administration of glucose as compared to the saline-injected animals. There was also a similar but more pronounced effect on the IBF with increases after 5 min (p less than 0.001), 15 min (p less than 0.01), and 25 min (p less than 0.05). Maximal glucose effects were found after 5 min with a peak value of 0.98 +/- 0.07 ml/min g pancreas for PBF (control value: 0.62 +/- 0.09 ml/min g pancreas) and 206 +/- 17 microliter/min X pancreas for IBF (control value: 65 +/- 10 microliter/min X pancreas). When expressed as a percentage of PBF the IBF was increased after 5 min (p less than 0.01) and 15 min (p less than 0.05) with a maximum of 14.4 +/- 1.5% (compared to 7.9 +/- 0.9% in the control animals) after 5 min. The data indicate a rapid and marked stimulatory effect of glucose on both PBF and IBF with a preferential effect on the latter. The mechanisms underlying this stimulation are unknown and may include both local intrapancreatic and extrapancreatic factors.