For better understanding the roles of insulin and hydrocortisone on amino acid mobilization in the eel, the effects of alloxan and hydrocortisone on blood glucose and plasma amino nitrogen content were studied using hepatectomized eels.
Hepatectomy, the removal of a principal site of plasma amino acid uptake, facilitated the observation of changes in amino acid mobilization in the eel.
Alloxan administration evoked a marked increase in the plasma amino nitrogen level of the hepatectomized eels. On the other hand, hydrocortisone treatment produced no statistically significant change in their plasma amino nitrogen content.
From these results, it is clear that insulin insufficiency caused by alloxan accelerates amino acid mobilization in the eel. However, hydrocortisone seems to have little effect on amino acid mobilization.