Further Studies by the Angiostomy Method of Hormonal Secretion of Pancreas and Suprarenal.

Abstract

These experiments are concerned with the study of the effect of the administration of various substances upon the function of the pancreas and the adrenal.

The method employed consisted of the use of an angiostomy cannula implanted on the superior pancreatico-duodenal vein and the suprarenal vein. The use of this cannula had already been recorded.

Procedure. Three control samples of blood were drawn from the angiostomized vessels and from the femoral artery. 0.2 cc. of each sample of blood were then injected intraperitoneally into three white mice. This was followed by the injection of the materials studied into the femoral vein of a dog. At varying intervals after the intravenous injection, blood was again drawn from the three vessels and injected intraperitoneally into a new series of white mice. These mice were subsequently killed two hours later by decapitation and their blood sugar determined by the Hagedorn-Jensen method. The secretion of epinephrin and insulin was interpreted by the effect upon the blood sugar changes in the mice. The substances injected intravenously were dextrose, levulose, galactose, tyrosine, alanine and morphine. Similar experiments were performed on dogs fed milk and glucose.

The influence of levulose and galactose on epinephrin and insulin secretion proved to be similar to that of dextrose, both sugars calling forth insulin secretion and depressing the secretion of epinephrin. A similar result was obtained by feeding milk and dextrose.

For the first few minutes after tyrosine injection there was no change in the blood sugars of the mice. Thirty to 45 minutes later, the blood sugars rose and one hour and 45 minutes later there was a definite depression. Alanine had no effect. The most effective stimulant of epinephrine secretion appeared to occur after the injection of the morphine.