System identification of the control of gluconeogenesis in the intact organism under conditions of long-term stress.

In this article a system-theoretic approach to hormonal control of gluconeogenesis as observed in the intact organism under hypoglycemia and hypoxia is attempted. Under such conditions the secretion of the stress hormone corticosterone by the adrenal cortex is effected by neural control centres inducing the synthesis of gluconeogenetic enzymes which catalyze the production of glucose from amino acids originating from body tissues. The time courses of the hormonal, enzymatic and metabolic quantities measured are evaluated in the framework of a model in the form of a system of differential equations, the parameters of which are determined by a numerical search procedure.