Early Differentiation of Glucagon-Producing Cells in Embryonic Pancreas: A Possible Developmental Role for Glucagon*

AUTOR(ES)

Rall, Leslie B.

RESUMO

Glucagon and insulin are first detectable at the onset of rat pancreas organogenesis. Initially, the specific activity of glucagon is approximately 100-fold higher than that of insulin. At this early stage, endocrine storage granules, similar to α granules, are identifiable in electron micrographs. The granule characteristics, as well as the relative hormone levels, suggest that the early population of differentiated endocrine cells is in fact composed of glucagon-producing (A) cells. This high level of glucagon is present in the embryo much earlier than the metabolic processes thought to be controlled by this hormone. Moreover, glucagon-producing cells may be the first endocrine cells to differentiate. Other known endocrine products accumulate later, during the terminal stages of organogenesis. These observations suggest that glucagon may have a regulatory function in early embryogenesis.

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