Somatostatin stimulates glucagon secretion in ducks

In normal fasting ducks, a somatostatin infusion (800 ng/kg/min for 30 min) elicited a prompt inhibition of insulin secretion, plasma levels falling from 140 +/- 20 to 20 +/- 6 pg Eq/ml as observed in mammals.--However plasma glucagon-like-immunoreactivity shown to be decreased in mammals by somatostatin was sharply increased from a mean basal level of 1.46 +/- 0.13 ng Eq/ml to 6.61 +/- 0.77 ng Eq/ml. This effect was not mediated via inhibition of growth hormone secretion since it was also observed in hypophysectomised ducks. Despite the fall in plasma insulin and rise in GLI observed with somatostatin infusion in intact birds, plasma glucose concentrations were lower than with control saline infusion.