Abstract
In adult rat islets of Langerhans glucose is an important stimulus for insulin biosynthesis and release. In contrast fetal islets secrete only small amounts of insulin when challenged acutely with glucose while the biosynthesis has not been evaluated. Therefore the incorporation of H3-leucine into proinsulin and insulin was studied in 21-day old fetal, 5 day old and 10 day old newborn rat islets. In fetal islets the incorporation of H3-leucine into insulin was enhanced by 50 mg% and 100 mg%, while 300 mg% or the addition of glucagon was without effect. The biosynthesis of insulin in 5 day old newborn islets was augmented by all glucose concentrations tested, again glucagon had no effect, 10 day old newborn islets reacted similar to adult islets: glucose stimulated the incorporation of H3-leucine into the proinsulin and insulin peak from 50 mg to 300 mg% and glucagon further enhanced this effect at the high glucose concentration. The results suggest separate mechanisms for insulin biosynthesis and release.
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