Glucagon and Blood Glucose: Insights from Artificial Pancreas Studies

Excerpt

The central role of insulin in the pathogenesis of diabetes has been recognized since the classical experiments of Banting and Best in 1921. Subsequent studies, however, have clearly shown that other hormones also contribute to the regulation of blood glucose. The work of Houssay established the importance of pituitary hormones (growth hormone and ACTH) in counteracting the action of insulin, whereas Long and Lukens showed similar effects for the adrenal cortex (glucocorticoids). More recently, relative or absolute hypersecretion of glucagon has been invoked as being of equal importance to insulin lack in the pathogenesis of diabetes (1). The major observations