The rate of liver glucokinase (GK) translocation from the nucleus to the cytoplasm in response to intraduodenal glucose infusion and the effect of physiological rises of plasma glucose and/or insulin on GK translocation were examined in 6 h fasted conscious rats. Intraduodenal glucose infusion (28 mg^.kg^-1.min^-1 after a priming dose at 500 mg/kg) elevated blood glucose levels (mg/dl) in the artery and portal vein from 90 ± 3 and 87 ± 3 to 154 ± 4 and 185 ± 4, respectively, at 10 min. At 120 min the levels had decreased to 133 ± 6 and 156 ± 5, respectively. Plasma insulin levels (ng/ml) in the artery and the portal vein rose from 0.7 ± 0.1 and 1.8 ± 0.3 to 11.8 ± 1.5 and 20.2 ± 2.0 at 10 min, respectively, and 12.4 ± 3.1 and 18.0 ± 4.8 at 30 min. GK was rapidly exported from the nucleus as determined by measuring the ratio of the nuclear to the cytoplasmic immunofluorescence (N/C) of GK (2.9 ± 0.3 at 0 min to 1.7 ± 0.2 at 10 min, 1.5 ± 0.1 at 20 min, 1.3 ± 0.1 at 30 min, and 1.3 ± 0.1 at 120 min). When plasma glucose (arterial; mg/dl) and insulin (arterial; ng/ml) levels were clamped for 30 min at 93 ± 7 and 0.7 ± 0.1, 81 ± 5 and 8.9 ± 1.3, 175 ± 5 and 0.7 ± 0.1, or 162 ± 5 and 9.2 ± 1.5, the N/C of GK was 3.0 ± 0.5, 1.8 ± 0.1, 1.5 ± 0.1, and 1.2 ± 0.1, respectively. The N/C of GK regulatory protein (GKRP) did not change in response to the intraduodenal glucose infusion or the rise in plasma glucose and/or insulin levels. The results suggest that GK, but not GKRP, translocates rapidly in a manner that corresponds with changes in the hepatic glucose balance in response to glucose ingestion in vivo. Additionally, the translocation of GK is induced by the postprandial rise in plasma glucose and insulin.