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Whilst it is well known that the foetal pancreas of several species contains insulin there is little information available concerning the presence of glucagon in foetal life. In the work reported in this paper the concentration of glucagon or 'glucagon-like' material was estimated in the maternal and foetal plasma, pancreas, parts of the gastro-intestinal tract and amniotic and allantoic fluids of the sheep.

Pregnant ewes bearing foetuses aged 59–143 days (term 148 days) were anaesthetized by the spinal administration of procaine hydrochloride. The foetus was exposed by Caesarian section during which samples of the amniotic and allantoic fluids were removed. Catheters were inserted into a maternal dorsalis pedis artery and a tributary of an umbilical artery. Heparinized blood samples were removed simultaneously from the mother and foetus within 15 min of inducing spinal anaesthesia. The plasma was separated immediately by centrifugation at 4 °C. Tissue samples from the pancreas and