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Foetal lambs (100–150 days' gestation) with indwelling vascular catheters were used to study the regulation of the insulin concentration in the plasma of foetal lambs in utero. Immediately after the implantation of the catheters the insulin concentration in foetal plasma was significantly correlated with the foetal glucose and fructose concentrations and with the maternal glucose concentration. On the next day the foetal insulin concentration was significantly correlated only with the maternal glucose concentration.

Both glucose and fructose, when infused i.v., increased the insulin concentration in foetal plasma, but the increases were slow and far less than those observed in newborn lambs infused with glucose or fructose. Intravenous infusion of isoprenaline or glucagon did not alter the plasma insulin concentration of foetal lambs, but both caused a rapid increase in the insulin concentration of newborn lambs. Glucagon did not potentiate the insulin response to glucose. Addition of aminophylline to a glucagon infusion failed to cause insulin secretion in foetal lambs. The results suggest the cyclic-3',5'-AMP dependent part of the insulin secretory mechanism does not develop fully before the last week of gestation.

Gel filtration of foetal plasma on Sephadex indicated that the immunoreactive material present was insulin. No significant amounts of proinsulin were found.