Insulin and the parasympathetic dependence of pancreatic juice secretion in healthy and alloxan diabetic sheep.

Abstract

Pancreatic function was measured in four ewes following vagal stimulation under control conditions and after the induction of alloxan diabetes. The volume and protein content of the pancreatic juice was measured along with simultaneous measurement of blood glucose and plasma insulin. The volume of pancreatic juice and its protein content decreased markedly in the diabetic state and returned to the initial value after insulin treatment. In normal animals, vagal stimulation markedly increased; the volume of pancreatic secretion and its protein content as well as the plasma insulin concentration. In the diabetic animals vagal stimulation caused only a slight increase in the protein content of pancreatic juice and plasma insulin concentration. It is suggested that insulin is probably one of the more important factors directly regulating the secretion of pancreatic juice.