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Glucagon's yin and yang effects on hepatic glucose production

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New insights into the actions of the hormone glucagon are provided by a recent study in rodents, which shows that glucagon can suppress hepatic glucose production by acting through the mediobasal hypothalamic region of the brain. This central regulatory mechanism is impaired in rats fed a high-fat diet, suggesting that hypothalamic glucagon resistance may be relevant to the hyperglycemia observed in obesity, diabetes or both (pages 766–772).

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Figure 1: Glucagon infusion rapidly stimulates hepatic glucose production, but the effect wanes with time.

Katie Vicari

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dale S. Edgerton and Alan D. Cherrington are in the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University Medical School, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.,

    Dale S Edgerton & Alan D Cherrington

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  1. Dale S Edgerton
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  2. Alan D Cherrington
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Correspondence to Alan D Cherrington.

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Edgerton, D., Cherrington, A. Glucagon's yin and yang effects on hepatic glucose production. Nat Med 19, 674–675 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.3202

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