The Correlation of the Insulin Content and the Histological Picture of the Pancreas at Intervals After the Administration of Alloxan

Abstract

Insulin assays and histologic studies were made on the pancreases of rats and dogs at different times after inj. of alloxan. The insulin conc, of the pancreas fell appreciably only after most islet cells were seen to be dead. A further expt. showed that alloxan did not cause hypoglycemia in depancreatized dogs or in dogs previously made diabetic with alloxan. Alloxan causes hypoglycemia probably because it kills islet cells and allows their insulin to be leached out into the blood stream. Most of the cells are dead when the hypoglycemia occurs, so that it is unlikely that alloxan causes hypoglycemia by stimulating islet cell secretion.