ADRENERGIC RECEPTORS IN RAT LIVER

Gluconeogenesis from lactate in normal and hypothyroid rat liver was examined to clarify the adrenergic receptor mechanisms. When epinephrine was perfused into normal liver, the level of glucose in perfusate was elevated approx. 2-fold. Hypothyroid liver also responded to epinephrine. In the normal liver, addition of an alpha or beta adrenergic blocking agent together with epinephrine did not show any significant change as compared to epinephrine alone, but, in hypothyroidism, a different metabolic response was observed with the administration of adrenergic antagonists together with epinephrine. Dibutyryl cAMP had the same effect as epinephrine on gluconeogenesis from lactate in both normal and hypothyroid livers.