Cd2+ and Hg2+ affect glucose release and cAMP-dependent transduction pathway in isolated eel hepatocytes.

Isolated hepatocytes of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) have been used as experimental model to characterize the effects of Cd2+ ang Hg2+ on either basal or epinephrine-stimulated glucose release. Our results indicate that Cd2+ and Hg2+ may impair a crucial intracellular transduction pathway involved in the adrenergic control of glucose metabolism, but also in several other routes of hormonal regulation of liver functions