Physiologic Roles of Glucagon and Epinephrine Vis-a-vis

Address reprint requests to Dr. Philip E. Cryer, Metabolism Division, Washington University School of Medicine. Received for publication 6 December 1982 and in revised form 21 March 1983. resulted in a progressive fall in mean plasma glucose to a hypoglycemic level late after glucose ingestion; the final glucose concentration was 40% lower (P < 0.02) than the control (epinephrine deficient) value in these patients, and was nearly 50% lower (P < 0.001) than the control value and -30% lower (P < 0.05) than the glucagon-deficient value in normal subjects. We conclude (a) the transition from exogenous glucose delivery to endogenous glucose production late after glucose ingestion is the result of the coordinated diminution of insulin secretion and the resumption of glucagon secretion. (b) Epinephrine does not normally play a critical role in this process, but enhanced epinephrine secretion compensates largely and prevents hypoglycemia when glucagon secretion is deficient.