Plasma glucagon responses to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia and arginine in normal and alloxan diabetic rats

Abstract

A decreased plasma glucagon response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia was found in the normoglucagonemic alloxan diabetic rat. The accepted range of normoglucagonemia was 0.021-0.240 ng/ml. The reduction of the glucagon response was not due to destruction of the .alpha.2-cells by alloxan, since a normal response to Arg could be demonstrated. The decreased glucagon response to hypoglycemia in the insulin deficient normoglucagonemic alloxan diabetic rat suggests that this .alpha.2-cell dysfunction may be caused by insulin lack.