Potassium ions and insulin release

This article briefly reviews the effects of potassium on insulin release. Omission of extracellular potassium in vitro is followed by a delayed impairment of the release. At low concentrations of potassium, the insulinotropic effect of glucose is reduced in vivo and in vitro. In vivo, high concentrations of potassium increase insulin secretion, but, in vitro, supraphysiological concentrations of the ion first activate and then inactivate the releasing process.