Abstract
Summary
1. The effect of epinephrine and insulin administration on the water and ionic content of plasma, skeletal muscle, and liver was compared in normal sham-operated and adrenal demedullated (21 days after surgery) groups of rats. Histological evidence was presented that the regenerated adrenal cortices appeared normal and medullary tissue was absent. 2. A significant reduction in plasma and muscle potassium concentration was determined 60 minutes after epinephrine administration in the sham and demedullated groups. A decreased plasma potassium level 60 minutes after insulin administration was found in the sham group but not in the demedullated group. However, a significant increase in the plasma sodium concentration after insulin was determined in both sham and demedullated groups. 3. The results were discussed as indicating that the apparent effect of insulin upon the plasma potassium level in the intact animal was the resultant of “reflexly” elicited epinephrine secretion following insulin-induced hypoglycemia and not the effect of insulin per se.
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