Glucagon receptor mRNA distribution in rat tissues.

In addition to glucagon's role in regulating glucose production from the liver, a number of extrahepatic effects of glucagon have been reported. We have therefore examined various rat tissues for glucagon receptor mRNA expression. In liver, kidney, heart, adipose tissue, spleen, pancreatic islets, ovary, and thymus, glucagon receptor mRNA expression was found to be relatively abundant whereas lower levels were detected in stomach, small intestine, adrenal gland, thyroid, and skeletal muscle. The presence of glucagon receptor mRNA in tissues known to be responsive to glucagon suggests that these effects are mediated by specific glucagon receptors. Furthermore, the finding of glucagon receptor mRNA in the spleen, thymus, thyroid, adrenal gland, ovary, and skeletal muscle, where glucagon is not generally considered to act, indicates that there may be novel actions of glucagon that have yet to be determined.