[The effect of altitude on insulin binding by erythrocytes in experimental alloxan diabetes]. / Vliianie uslovii vysokogor'ia na sviazyvanie insulina éritrotsitami pri éksperimental'nom alloksanovom diabete.

Alterations in content of glucose, insulin and glucagon in blood as well as binding of insulin with specific erythrocyte receptors were studied in 120 rats with alloxan diabetes and in intact animals. Content of insulin and glucagon was decreased in rat blood within 14 days of maintaining at high altitude, whereas glycemia developed only slightly. Binding of insulin with erythrocytes was increased more distinctly in control rats, which exhibited low index of this function at low altitude. Importance of this mechanism in activation of cellular glycolysis, an increase of 2,3-diphosphate glucose level in erythrocytes as a compensatory response to high altitude hypoxia are discussed.

[Hormonal function of the insular apparatus and erythrocyte insulin-binding capacity during adaptation of the rat to high altitude]. / Gormonal'naia funktsiia insuliarnogo apparata i insulinsviazuiushchaia sposobnost' éritrotositov pri adaptatsii krys k vysokogor'iu.

Changes in blood glucose, glucagon and insulin as well as changes in insulin binding by specific receptors on blood erythrocytes, were studied in 45 rats on various days of adaptation to high altitude. By the 14th day the levels of blood insulin and glucagon were steadily decreasing, whereas glucose homeostasis remained on the same level. Insulin binding by receptors on erythrocytes increased on the 3rd and particularly on the 14th day. The importance of the said reaction is discussed in connection with its compensatory nature in maintaining increased glycolysis in erythrocytes and 2,3-DFG levels in them which in its turn leads to changes in hemoglobin affinity to oxygen and correction of tissue hypoxia.