The effect of insulin on the distribution of glucose between the blood plasma and the liver

Abstract

In normal fasted rats whole liver tissue contains as much glucose as the blood plasma, i.e., the ratio of the concentrations is about unity. The concentration of glucose in hepatic intracellular water is about 1.2 times higher than in plasma water. In rats injected with insulin the concentration of glucose in the liver falls to a lesser extent than in the plasma: resulting in a ratio of concentrations higher than unity. If insulin hypoglycemia is prevented by the ingestion of glucose the concentration ratio is less than in hypoglycemic rats but still significantly above unity. In normal rats the specific activities of plasma and hepatic glucose do not differ significantly at 7.5, 15, and 30 minutes after the intravenous injection of C(14)-labeled glucose. In rats injected with insulin the specific activity of glucose is higher in the plasma than in the liver at 7.5 and 15 minutes, but not at 30 minutes following the injection of tracer. In insulin-treated hypoglycemic rats considerably higher concentrations of labeled glucose are found in hepatic intracellular than in plasma water. The penetration of C(14)-glucose from plasma into hepatic intracellular water is found to be fast. Excess insulin causes an accumulation of glucose within the liver cells by retaining newly formed glucose and by the taking up of glucose from the plasma against an existing concentration gradient.