FACTORS INFLUENCING THE NET CONSUMPTION OF GLUCOSE BY THE ISOLATED PERFUSED RAT LIVER

Abstract

Several factors have been found to influence the ability of the isolated rat liver to achieve and maintain a steady-state condition when receiving glucose at a constant rate. The net glucose consumed could be altered by starving the experimental animal for 72 hours, by changes in the blood of donor rats produced by starvation, by lowering of the pH of the perfusate, and by injury to the liver itself. In cases in which the net glucose consumption by the liver was lowered by starvation of the donor rats for 24 hours, the addition of insulin to the perfusate doubled the net consumption of glucose. These experiments demonstrate that insulin has an effect on the net consumption of glucose by the liver.