Abstract
THERE is considerable experimental evidence that glucagon (hyperglycæmic factor of the pancreas) is a true hormone which originates in the α-cells of the islets of Langerhans1. Its isolation and crystallization were reported in 19532. The crystalline material appears to be a simple protein with a molecular weight of approximately 4,200 and an amino-acid content which differs significantly from that of insulin3. Minute doses of crystalline glucagon (0.1γ in the cat) cause a significant rise in blood sugar3. This effect is probably brought about by a stimulation of liver glycogenolysis, since glucagon has been shown to increase the net synthesis of liver phosphorylase4. Further than this, little is known about the action or physiological role of glucagon. Current speculation revolves about three possibilities: (a) that glucagon is an anti-insulin hormone1, (b) that it is an insulin synergist5, or (c) that it has no significant function in the control of carbohydrate metabolism6.
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ELRICK, H. Glucagon and the Regulation of Carbohydrate Metabolism. Nature 177, 892–893 (1956). https://doi.org/10.1038/177892a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/177892a0
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