Pancreatic alpha cell function in the fetal foal during late gestation.
Abstract: Plasma glucagon concentrations were measured in chronically catheterized fetal ponies and their mothers between 260 days of gestation and term (approximately 335 days). Fetal alpha cell responses to arginine and variations in fetal glycaemia were also examined during late gestation. Immunoreactive glucagon was present in fetal plasma at 260 days of gestation and its concentration in utero increased after 320 days and then again at birth. Maternal plasma glucagon concentrations were higher after 300 days than earlier in gestation but were lower than the corresponding fetal value throughout the period of gestation studied. Fetal alpha cells responded rapidly to intravenous arginine infusion but not to changes in the fetal glucose level induced by maternal fasting for 36 h or by intrafetal infusion of glucose. The maximal increment in fetal plasma glucagon in response to arginine occurred at the end of the 5 min infusion and was positively correlated to the basal pre-infusion plasma glucagon concentrations. Fetal plasma glucagon concentrations were unaffected by either hyper- or hypoglycaemia. In contrast, maternal plasma glucagon levels were significantly increased by fasting. These observations indicate that equine pancreatic alpha cells are functional in utero but that they are unresponsive to variations in glycaemia until after birth.
Publication Date: 1999-09-11 PubMed ID: 10481227
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research investigates the functionality of pancreatic alpha cells in foal fetuses during late gestation, particularly the response to glucose and arginine.
Research Methodology
- The study measured plasma glucagon concentrations in fetal ponies and their mothers between 260 days of gestation and term, which is roughly 335 days.
- The research studied the fetal alpha cell responses to arginine (an amino acid which can stimulate the release of hormones like glucagon) and variation in fetal blood sugar levels during late gestation.
- The researchers used techniques such as chronic catheterization of fetal ponies and intrafetal infusion of glucose to manipulate and measure the glucose levels.
Findings and Conclusions
- The research found that immunoreactive glucagon was present in fetal plasma as early as 260 days of gestation. The concentration increases in the womb after 320 days and then again at birth. Immunoreactive glucagon typically indicates the presence of an antibody which can bind to glucagon, showing the functional activity of glucagon in the body.
- Maternal plasma glucagon concentrations were recorded as being higher after 300 days than earlier in the gestation but were lower than the corresponding fetal values throughout the study.
- Interesting, the fetal alpha cells responded swiftly to the infusion of intravenous arginine but did not react to changes in the fetal glucose level – induced by maternal fasting for 36 hours or by intrafetal infusion of glucose.
- The research concluded that the equine pancreatic alpha cells are functional while in the womb but do not respond to variations in blood sugar levels until after birth.
Implications
- This study reinforces our understanding of the functionality of equine pancreatic alpha cells, a crucial component of the endocrine system, during gestation. It is particularly noteworthy for veterinarians or researchers studying foal development or neonatal diabetes in horses since it gives a more profound understanding into glucose regulation in womb.
Cite This Article
APA
Fowden AL, Forhead AJ, Bloomfield M, Taylor PM, Silver M.
(1999).
Pancreatic alpha cell function in the fetal foal during late gestation.
Exp Physiol, 84(4), 697-705.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Physiology, University of Cambridge, UK. alf1000@cus.cam.ac.uk
MeSH Terms
- Amino Acids / blood
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn
- Arginine / pharmacology
- Blood Glucose
- Embryonic and Fetal Development
- Fasting
- Female
- Fetal Blood / metabolism
- Fetus / physiology
- Gestational Age
- Glucagon / blood
- Glucose / pharmacology
- Horses / blood
- Horses / physiology
- Islets of Langerhans / drug effects
- Islets of Langerhans / embryology
- Islets of Langerhans / physiology
- Nitrogen / blood
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy, Animal / blood
- Pregnancy, Animal / physiology
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Kinsella HM, Hostnik LD, Snyder HA, Mazur SE, Kamr AM, Burns TA, Mossbarger JC, Toribio RE. Comparison of insulin sensitivity between healthy neonatal foals and horses using minimal model analysis.. PLoS One 2022;17(1):e0262584.
- Kinsella HM, Hostnik LD, Rings LM, Swink JM, Burns TA, Toribio RE. Glucagon, insulin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and cortisol in response to carbohydrates and fasting in healthy neonatal foals.. J Vet Intern Med 2021 Jan;35(1):550-559.
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