Pancreatic hormonal release after glucose and arginine administration in anaesthetized pigs

Somatostatin, pancreatic polypeptide (PP), insulin and glucagon were measured in pancreatic venous effluent and in mixed venous blood of anaesthetized pigs. After stimulation of insulin release with glucose and arginine, respectively, a prompt decrease in PP levels was found in pancreatic venous blood. Somatostatin declined after glucose administration but was unaffected by arginine. The changes in PP and somatostatin levels were not evident in systemic blood. The present results emphasize the advantage of selective sampling of pancreatic venous blood in studies on the possible interactions between pancreatic hormones. The marked decrease in PP seen after stimulation of insulin release in the present study, indicates that PP should be included together with somatostatin in further studies on pancreatic hormonal interplay.