Plasma glucagon responses to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia and arginine in normal and alloxan diabetic rats.

A decreased plasma glucagon response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia was found in the normoglucagonaemic alloxan diabetic rat. 0.021-0.240 ng/ml was accepted as the range of normoglucagonaemia. The reduction of the glucagon response was not due to destruction of the alpha 2-cells by alloxan, since a normal response to arginine could be demonstrated. The decreased glucagon response to hypoglycaemia in the insulin deficient normoglucagonaemic alloxan diabetic rat suggests that this alpha 2-cell dysfunction may be caused by insulin lack.