Effect of fasting on the release of insulin and somatostatin from perifused islets of Langerhans.

Release of somatostatin and insulin from perifused islets of fasted and control rats was compared. After a fasting period of 48 h glucose-induced insulin release but not somatostatin release was diminished. Islets from fasted rats released significantly more somatostatin in the presence of 3.3 mM glucose than islets from controls. Simultaneously, the somatostatin content of isolated islets from fasting rats was significantly decreased. The results indicate that the low secretory activity of islet B cells in the fasting state is associated with a high secretory activity of islet D cells.