PANCREATIC β-CELL FUNCTION IN THE FETAL FOAL AND MARE

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Abstract
Insulin secretion and the factors influencing β-cell function were investigated in the chronically catheterized fetal foal and mare during the second half of gestation. The response of the fetal β cells to exogenous glucose was also examined. The mean concentration of insulin in the fetal foal was 7·5 ± 0·5 (s.e.m.) μu./ml (n = 20) which was significantly less than the corresponding maternal value of 49·0 ± 5·0μu./ml (n = 20, Pn = 5) which was significantly less than the value in the pregnant animals (Pin utero and the effects of pregnancy on maternal β-cell function.