THE STIMULATION OF INSULIN RELEASE BY ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS FROM RABBIT PANCREAS IN VITRO

Abstract

SUMMARY Pieces of rabbit pancreas were incubated in vitro in an incubation medium containing no glucose or 1·5 mg. glucose/ml. In each of these conditions the effect on insulin release of each of the essential amino acids at 5 mm concentration was studied. Leucine was the only essential amino acid that stimulated insulin release to a level which reached statistical significance in an incubation medium containing no glucose. In medium containing 1·5 mg. glucose/ml., arginine, isoleucine, leucine and lysine stimulated insulin release and phenylalanine inhibited insulin release. Glucagon, theophylline or dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate stimulated insulin release significantly in the presence of leucine but not in the presence of arginine. Arginine stimulated insulin release in the presence of leucine. The results of these experiments characterize further the difference in the mechanism of action of leucine and arginine on the pancreatic β-cell and indicate possible explanations for results obtained in other species in vivo.