Summary
Rats were provided both with brain cannulas, to permit infusion of fluids in the ventromedial and lateral hypothalamic areas (resp. VMH and LH), and with two heart catheters. In this way infusions of fluids and withdrawal of blood could be done in unanesthetized free moving animals. Infusion of norepinephrine (NE) in the VMH elicited glucagon release during the whole period of NE infusion whereas insulin levels did not change. This glucagon release could not be suppressed by α- and β-receptor blockade but it was suppressed by hexamethonium, a blocking agent of signal transmission in peripheral ganglia of the autonomic nervous system. On the other hand, infusion of NE in the LH elicited insulin release during the whole period of NE infusion whereas glucagon levels remained unchanged. It is argued that [1] the sympathetic nervous system is involved in glucagon release, [2] no α- and β-receptor mechanisms are involved during this glucagon release, [3] the parasympathetic nervous system is involved in insulin release during noradrenergic LH stimulation.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bloom SR, Edwards AV, Vaughan NJA (1974) The role of the autonomic innervation in the control of glucagon release during hypoglycaemia in the calf. J Physiol (Lond) 236: 611–623
Cegrell L, Falck B, Hellman B (1964) Monoaminergic mechanisms in the endocrine pancreas. In: Brolin SE, Hellman B, Knutsen H (eds) The structure and metabolism of the pancreatic islets. Pergamon, New York, pp 429–435
De Groot J (1959) The rat forebrain in stereotaxic coordinates. Verh Konink Ned Akad Wetenschap [Afdel Natuurkunde] Sect II: pp 1–40
De Jong A, Strubbe JH, Steffens AB (1977) Hypothalamic influence on insulin and glucagon release in the rat. Am J Physiol 233: E380-E388
Flik G, Kuipers F, Lotter EC, Steffens AB (Submitted for publication) The modulatory effect of meal-related stimuli on centrally mediated insulin secretion. Endocrinology
Frohman LA, Bernardis LL (1971) Effect of hypothalamic stimulation on plasma glucose, insulin and glucagon levels. Am J Physiol 221: 1596–1603
Havel RJ, Goldfien A (1959) The role of the sympathetic nervous system in the metabolism of free fatty acids. J Lipid Res 1: 102–108
Henquin JC, Malvaux P, Lambert AE (1974) Glucagon immunoassay using polyethylene glycol to precipitate antibody bound hormone. Diabetologia 10: 61–68
Kaneto A, Kosaka K, Nakao K (1967) Effects of stimulation of the vagus nerve on insulin secretion. Endocrinology 80: 530–536
Rehfeld JF, Larsson LI, Goltermann NR, Schwartz TW, Holst JJ, Jensen SL, Morley JS (1980) Neural regulation of pancreatic hormone secretion by the C-terminal tetrapeptide of CCK. Nature 284: 33–38
Robertson RP, Porte D (1973) Adrenergic modulation of basal insulin secretion in man. Diabetes 22: 1–8
Sharp R, Culbert S, Cook J, Jennings A, Burr IM (1974) Cholinergic modification of glucose-induced biphasic insulin release in vitro. J Clin Invest 53: 710–716
Shimazu T (1979) Nervous control of peripheral metabolism. Acta Physiol Pol 30 [Suppl 18]: 1–18
Steffens AB (1969) A method for frequent sampling of blood and continuous infusion of fluids in the rat without disturbing the animal. Physiol Behav 4: 833–836
Steffens AB, Lotter EC (submitted for publication) Lateral hypothalamic and vagal control of the endocrine pancreas in the rat. Am J Physiol
Strubbe JH, Mein CG (1977) Increased feeding in response to bilateral injection of insulin antibodies in the VMH. Physiol Behav 19: 309–313
Woods SC, Porte D (1974) Neural control of the endocrine pancreas. Physiol Rev 54: 596–619
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Steffens, A.B. The modulatory effect of the hypothalamus on glucagon and insulin secretion in the rat. Diabetologia 20 (Suppl 1), 411–416 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00254510
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00254510