Pancreatic somatostatin secretion is suppressed by splanchnic nerve stimulation

The pancreases of fasted mongrel puppies (n = 4) were isolated and perfused in a non-recirculating system with an oxygenated Krebs Ringer bicarbonate buffer. The gland remained in situ and innervated. Bilateral stimulation of the splanchnic trunks (20 V, 5 Hz, 1 msec) resulted in a significant decrease in somatostatin (57 +/- 10%, p less than 0.01) and insulin (71 +/- 3%, p less than 0.01), secretion rates, together with a significant increase in pancreatic perfusion pressure (53 +/- 6%, p less than 0.05). Perfusate glucose concentration remained constant during stimulation. No difference was found between three, three minute stimulations in any one dog, but significant differences were found among the dogs in the prestimulation somatostatin secretion rate in spite of the similarities in the buffer glucose concentration.