Column perifusion of mouse pancreatic islets was used to study the ability of amino acids and their methyl esters to influence insulin release and activate islet glutamate dehydrogenase activity. In the absence of L-glutamine, L-serine and the methyl ester of L-phenylalanine, but neither L-phenylalanine nor L-serine methyl ester, stimulate insulin secretion. In the presence of L-glutamine, however, the effect of L-serine was additive, while the methyl esters of L-serine and L-phenylalanine as well as native L-phenylalanine, potentiated the glucose-stimulated release of insulin. Measurements of islet glutamate dehydrogenase activity showed that only the two methyl esters of L-phenylalanine and L-serine activated the enzyme. It is concluded that the mechanism by which methyl esters of amino acids potentiate insulin release is most likely to be mediated by the activation of pancreatic beta-cell glutamate dehydrogenase activity.