Abstract
The effect of various inhibitors on insulin release from pieces of rabbit pancreas incubated in vitro was studied. Insulin release was stimulated by glucose (3mg./ml.), leucine (5mm), tolbutamide (200mug./ml.), ouabain (10mum), a raised extracellular K(+) concentration (60mm) and substitution of the Ca(2+) content of the incubation medium by Ba(2+) (2.5mm). (a) Mannoheptulose (6mg./ml.) inhibited glucose-stimulated insulin release only. (b) Anoxia abolished or inhibited insulin release stimulated by glucose, leucine, tolbutamide and K(+), but had little or no effect on release stimulated by ouabain or Ba(2+). (c) 2,4-Dinitrophenol (0.25mm) abolished or inhibited insulin release stimulated by glucose, ouabain or Ba(2+). (d) Diazoxide (250mug./ml.) abolished or inhibited insulin release stimulated by glucose, leucine, tolbutamide, ouabain or Ba(2+) (0.25 or 1mm). Diazoxide had no effect on insulin release stimulated by Ba(2+) (2.5mm) and potentiated release stimulated by K(+). (e) Adrenaline (1mum) abolished insulin release stimulated by glucose, leucine, tolbutamide, ouabain or Ba(2+). K(+)-stimulated release was inhibited by adrenaline. (f) Tetrodotoxin (1mum) had no effect on insulin release stimulated by glucose, leucine, tolbutamide, ouabain, K(+) or Ba(2+). (g) Nupercaine (1mm) abolished insulin release stimulated by glucose or Ba(2+).