Glucose reduces both Rb+ influx and efflux in pancreatic islet cells.

Microdissected, beta-cell-rich pancreatic islets from ob/ob mice were used in studies of 86Rb+ transport. D-Glucose (20 mM) induced a biphasic reduction in 86Rb+ efflux. The reduction stabilized within 10 min at 34% of the efflux rate at zero glucose. The initial 86Rb+ uptake (5 min) was dose-dependently reduced by ouabain with maximum inhibition at 1 mM. D-Glucose (20 mM) did not affect the ouabain-sensitive 86Rb+ influx but markedly reduced (48%) the ouabain-resistant isotope influx. The results suggest that D-glucose does not affect the Na+/K+ pump in pancreatic beta-cells and that the glucose-sensitive K+-transporting modalities (K+ channels) in the beta-cells can mediate both inward and outward K+ flux.