Pancreatic polypeptide and other pancreatic hormones in spontaneously diabetic BB/W rats.

Using a radioimmunoassay for rat pancreatic polypeptide (PP), we have examined the content of PP in extracts of the total pancreas and also the regional PP concentration of the three pancreatic lobes. Radioimmunoassays for glucagon, somatostatin (SRIF) and insulin were also made on these extracts. The diabetes occurring in the BB/W appears to be a severe type I diabetes characterized by reduced content of insulin, glucagon, SRIF, and PP in the pancreas of these animals. However, secretion of glucagon and PP were not reduced in this in vitro system