Factors controlling gastric-glucagon release.

A system consisting of an isolated dog stomach perfused with whole blood has been designed to study gastric glucagon secretion. Under basal conditions, gastric glucagon release was 0.0-3.1 ng glucagon/100g of stomach per min. Arginine, at an arterial plasma concentration averaging 10 mM, elicited a rapid glucagon release. This gastric glucagon release was almost completely abolished by somatostatin (100 ng/ml). The release of gastric glucagon was not affected by hyperglycemia alone but was reduced by about 40% when hyperglycemia was concomitant with an hyperinsulinemia within the physiological range. These observations support the concept that adequate concentrations of insulin are necessary in order for hyperglycemia to inhibit gastric glucagon secretion. Furthermore, it is suggested that the isolated perfused dog stomach might provide a unique tool permitting investigation of alpha-cell function in the absence of endogenously released insulin.