Amphibian pancreas function in long-term organ culture: Control of insulin release

Abstract

Pancreas organ cultures from the adult urodele amphibian Amphiuma means released insulin into the medium during culture periods of up to 16 days. Insulin-like activity was detected by an indirect bioassay, and immunoreactive insulin (IRI) by a radioimmunoassay. Insulin release was increased by glucose, calcium, an ionophore, theophylline, caffeine, glucagon, isoprenaline, and tolbutamide, and reduced by adrenaline. Alloxan reduced the tissue IRI content at the end of an 11-day culture period. It is concluded that the range of factors influencing insulin release from the A. means pancreas is essentially similar to that affecting insulin release from the mammalian pancreatic β cell.