AJP - Endocrinology and Metabolism, Vol 247, Issue 3 385-E388, Copyright © 1984 by American Physiological Society
Glucose-induced insulin secretion by perfused pancreas of 2- and 12-mo-old Fischer 344 rats
D. L. Curry, G. Reaven and E. Reaven
Previous studies have shown that cells from older Sprague-Dawley rats
secrete insulin less efficiently in response to a maximal glucose challenge
than do beta-cells from young animals. In the current study we have asked
whether this change in beta-cell response occurs in another strain of rat,
and, if so, whether the secretory defect occurs at submaximal as well as
maximal glucose stimulatory levels. Pancreas perfusions were carried out on
2- and 12-mo-old Fischer 344 rats at perfusate glucose concentrations of
150 and 300 mg/dl. The secretory data for each pancreas was subsequently
corrected for differences in islet cell mass and expressed as insulin
secretion per unit islet cell. The results show that 12-mo-old Fischer rats
release more insulin per total pancreas than do 2-mo-old animals at both
glucose concentrations. However when corrected for islet cell mass, the
amount of insulin secretion per islet cell is actually reduced in the older
Fischer rat. These data are comparable to those seen previously in the
12-mo-old Sprague-Dawley rat and indicate that the insulin secretory defect
seen as rats grow older is not species specific.
