Comparison of glucose metabolism in the lactating mammary gland of the rat in vivo and in vitro. Effects of starvation, prolactin or insulin deficiency.

1. Measurements of arteriovenous differences across mammary glands of normal and starved lactating rats, and lactating rats made short-term insulin-deficient with streptozotocin or prolactin-deficient with bromocryptine, showed that only in the starved animals was there a significant decrease in glucose uptake. This decrease was accompanied by release of lactate and pyruvate from the gland, in contrast with the uptake of these metabolites by glands of normal lactating rats. 2. There were no marked differences in metabolite concentrations in freeze-clamped glands in the four conditions studied, apart from a decrease in [lactate] and [pyruvate] and an increase in [glucose] in the glands of the streptozotocin-treated group. 3. Acini isolated from the glands of starved, insulin or prolactin-deficient rats had a higher production of lactate and pyruvate from glucose than did glands from normal rats; this is in agreement with the reported decrease in the proportion of active pyruvate dehydrogenase in these situations [Field & Coore (1976) Biochem. J.156, 333-337; Kankel & Reinauer (1976) Diabetologia12, 149-154]. 4. Addition of insulin did not increase the uptake of glucose by acini from normal glands, but it caused a significant increase in the utilization of glucose by acini from glands of starved rats. Insulin did not decrease the accumulation of lactate and pyruvate in any of the experiments. 5. It is concluded that isolated acini represent a suitable model for the study of mammary-gland carbohydrate metabolism in that they reflect metabolism of the gland in vivo.