Persistent hypoglycemia induced by continuous insulin infusion in broiler chickens.
1. Persistent hypoglycaemia was experimentally induced by insulin infusion to improve understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of blood glucose concentrations specific to chickens. 2. An osmotic minipump containing bovine insulin was implanted to deliver insulin in vivo at a constant rate (11.25 to 45 U/kg BW/d) for 5 d in 4-week-old broiler chickens force-fed a maintenance diet once a d. Birds infused with the highest dose of insulin died within 3 to 4 d. 3. In chickens continuously infused with insulin at 22.5 U/kg BW/d, fasting glucose concentrations in plasma determined every 3 h during the 3rd day of infusion were consistently and significantly lower than in controls. 4. Continuous infusion of insulin at 22.5 U/kg BW/d induced persistent hypoglycaemia (almost one-half the normal blood glucose concentration) lasting for at least 4 d in broiler chickens. 5. Insulin infusion did not significantly change plasma NEFA or protein concentrations and increased plasma GOT activity only at 1 of the daily experimental sampling points.
Akiba
Y
Y
Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan. akiba@bios.tohoku.ac.jp
Chida
Y
Y
Takahashi
T
T
Ohtomo
Y
Y
Sato
K
K
Takahashi
K
K
D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000502:physiology*; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle; D002645:Chickens; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D007328:Insulin; D008297:Male
D001786:Blood Glucose; D001798:Blood Proteins; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D007328:Insulin; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases