Somatostatin neutralization stimulates glucagon and insulin secretion from the avian pancreas

Using the isolated perfused chicken pancreas, somatostatin antiserum was infused to neutralize the effects of endogenous somatostatin secretion on neighboring endocrine cells. At normal and high glucose concentrations, somatostatin antiserum significantly stimulated both glucagon and insulin secretion. These findings suggest that somatostatin continuously inhibits A and B cell output, and that glucose suppression of glucagon release is partially dependent upon local somatostatin secretion.