title: Vital microscopy of islet blood flow: catecholamine effects in normal and ob/ob mice.
abstract: The pancreatic microcirculation in noninbred ob/ob mice and normal controls was visualized in a fluorescence microscope and examined for responses to intravenous infusions of epinephrine or norepinephrine. Evaluations of coded video recordings revealed a smooth dose-response relationship and validated a semiquantitative method of analysis. In ob/ob mice the islet microcirculation was markedly and reversibly inhibited by 0.14-4 micrograms of epinephrine X min-1 X kg body wt-1; the flow was almost totally stopped at the highest infusion rates. Capillary flow in the exocrine pancreas appeared unaffected, except for some inhibition at 4.0 micrograms X min-1 X kg-1. Norepinephrine was less potent an inhibitor of islet blood flow. Normal lean mice exhibited minor responses to 1-11.3 micrograms of epinephrine X min-1 X kg-1; in most cases there was no visible effect. It is concluded that there is a selective regulation of blood flow through the endocrine portion of the pancreas and that the islet microcirculation is hypersensitive to catecholamines in noninbred ob/ob mice. A defective inhibitory influence from the brain may play a role in the development of excessive hyperinsulinemia in ob/ob mice.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; D005452:Fluoresceins; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008820:Mice, Obese; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D013045:Species Specificity; D013861:Thiocyanates
chemical_list: D005452:Fluoresceins; D013861:Thiocyanates; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine