Effects of Antisomatostatin and Antiglucagon Sera on Insulin Release from Isolated Langerhans' Islets of Rats

Effects of antisomatostatin and antiglucagon sera on insulin secretion were studied in isolated pancreatic islets of rats. Addition of antisomatostatin or antiglucagon serum to the incubation medium containing 5.5 mM glucose significantly increased insulin secretion from the islets. In contrast, these effect were not apparent when the glucose concentration was elevated to 20 mM. In the presence of antiglucagon serum the free glucagon concentration in the medium was decreased, while the total glucagon was markedly increased, suggesting that the antiglucagon serum caused an increase in glucagon secretion. These results suggest that A- and D-cells may play an important role in regulating insulin release at physiologic glucose concentration.