title: Roles of the Gut in Glucose Homeostasis.
abstract: The gastrointestinal tract plays a major role in the regulation of postprandial glucose profiles. Gastric emptying is a highly regulated process, which normally ensures a limited and fairly constant delivery of nutrients and glucose to the proximal gut. The subsequent digestion and absorption of nutrients are associated with the release of a set of hormones that feeds back to regulate subsequent gastric emptying and regulates the release of insulin, resulting in downregulation of hepatic glucose production and deposition of glucose in insulin-sensitive tissues. These remarkable mechanisms normally keep postprandial glucose excursions low, regardless of the load of glucose ingested. When the regulation of emptying is perturbed (e.g., pyloroplasty, gastric sleeve or gastric bypass operation), postprandial glycemia may reach high levels, sometimes followed by profound hypoglycemia. This article discusses the underlying mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research and Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark jjholst@sund.ku.dk.
authors.forename: Jens Juul
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Holst
authors.affiliation: Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, U.K.
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gribble
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Medicine, University of Adelaide and Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Horowitz
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Medicine, University of Adelaide and Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Chris K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Rayner
mesh_terms: D004063:Digestion / Q000502:physiology; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000502:physiology; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000502:physiology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000378:metabolism; D054795:Incretins; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000502:physiology; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009424:Nervous System Physiological Phenomena; D019518:Postprandial Period / Q000502:physiology; D013270:Stomach / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D054795:Incretins; D005947:Glucose