Investigations on isolated islets of Langerhans in vitro. XIV. Insulin secretion and insulin stores of cultivated islets from sand rats (Psammomys obesus): investigations of glucose-dose response.

Release of immunoreactive insulin activity (IRI) and biological insulin like activity (ILA) from collagenase isolated pancreatic islets of sand rats (Psammomys obesus) maintained on a vegetable diet were examined at 60 min and 24-48 h intervals under culture conditions at 1.0 and 15.6 mM glucose. The glucose-insulin dose response curves for sand rats after 60 min incubation were compared with those after 24 or 48 h of incubation. The pancreatic islets responded to 5mM glucose with a high insulin release especially under culture conditions. A drastic depletion of stored insulin in the islets cultivated for 2 days at 5 or 15 mM glucose is accompanied by a continuous diminution of the glucose-induced insulin release with the prolongation of cultivation up to one week.