Insulin antagonizes the phagocytosis stimulating action of histamine in Tetrahymena

Abstract

Histamine increased specifically the phagocytic activity of the unicellular Tetrahymena, whereas insulin had no influence on it. Insulin antagonized the phagocytosis stimulating action of histamine after simultaneous exposure and after preexposure two days earlier as well, although in the latter case to a lesser degree. Double exposure to a combination of histamine + insulin didn't influence the phagocytic activity at all, demonstrating the histamine antagonizing effect of insulin in this model.