The roles of renal gluconeogenesis and glucose utilization in control, hemorrhaged, and endotoxin-injected animals were investigated using anesthetized, eviscerated, nonnephrectomized and nephrectomized dogs. Results demonstrate an increased glucose utilization in both hemorrhagic and endotoxic shock which was marked after endotoxin. Since blood glucose values dropped more in nephrectomized, hemorrhaged animals, in contrast to the nonnephrectomized, hemorrhaged dogs, the kidneys were assumed to perform a significant gluconeogenic role. The kidneys did not appear to perform gluconeogenesis in endotoxin shock since blood glucose levels were comparable in eviscerated, endotoxin-treated animals whether nephrectomized or not. To ascertain the tissue responsible for the increased glucose utilization in endotoxin shock, a study was performed with endotoxin added to blood in vitro (estimated LD100 concentration). The endotoxin-treated blood (n = 7) demonstrated an increased glucose utilization compared with saline controls (n = 7) (P less than or equal 0.02). Acclerated glucose utilization rates were comparable between the eviscerated, nephrectomized animals and in vitro experiments. These data suggest that excessive glucose demand by certain blood components may partially explain the lethal hypoglycemia of endotoxin shock.