Summary.In normal fasting ducks, a somatostatin infusion (800ng/kg/min for 30min) 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-likeimmunoreactivity 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. [5,14,22] and it has been shown that somatostatin simultaneously inhibits insulin and glucagon secretion; moreover somatostatin appears to be one of the most effective A cell suppressants known [22].
Key words:In birds, it has been shown that the somatostatin producing D cells are particularly numerous in the islets of the pigeon pancreas [20] and very high somatostatin concentrations have been measured in the chicken pancreas [25]. As the duck appears to be an interesting species for studies on pancreatic hormone regulation [17,18] the present study was undertaken to explore the response of pancreatic hormones to somatostatin infusion in ducks.
Materials and Methods
AnimalsExperiments were performed on male Peking ducks 3 to 6 months old (2 to 2.5 kg), maintained on a normal diet with fowl pellets and tap water ad libitum.
HypophysectomyRemoval of the pituitary was performed under local anaesthesia (1% xylocaine, Bellon) according to Benoit's technique [1]. These animals were used for experiments 4 to 10 days after operation. Completeness of hypophysectomy was checked by plasma growth hormone determination.
InfusionsAfter an overnight fast the conscious ducks, normal or hypophysectomised, were tied to a board.Somatostatin was dissolved in 0.154 mol/l saline and administered intravenously as a bolus of 800 ng/kg immediately followed by a sustained infusion of 800 ng/kg/min for 30 minutes through a cathether inserted into a leg vein. As controls, normal or hypophysectomised ducks received 0.154 mol/1 saline infusions.
Blood SamplingBlood samples were collected from a catheter inserted into a wing vein immediately before infusion (zero time) and at selected intervals thereafter.Blood samples kept on ice were centrifuged at 4 ~ and plasma stored at -20 ~ until the time of assay.
Plasma DeterminationsPlasma glucose concentration was measured with a Technicon autoanalyser using a ferricyanide reagent [11] after dialysis of plasma.