The endocrine response to nutrient ingestion is vital to the maintenance of energy homeostasis in the body. Glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is one such hormone that is released from L-cells of the distal small intestine and colon in response to meal ingestion. GLP-1 acts on various systems in the body to enhance glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, delay gastric emptying and promote satiety. As such, elevating the levels of active GLP-1 in the circulation, as well as enhancing GLP-1 bioactivity, is the basis of several recent anti-diabetic medications. Gaining an understanding of how GLP-1 secretion is regulated at the cellular level requires in vitro L-cell models. NCI-H716 is a cell line derived from ascites fluid of a colorectal adenocarcinoma from a 33 year old Caucasian male. This cell line is currently the only human model available for the in vitro study of GLP-1 regulation and is the topic of the following chapter. This chapter will cover the origin, characteristics and methods for using this model. Comparisons are then made between other available in vitro GLP-1 models.
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