Pancreas islets in metabolic signaling – focus on the β-cell
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- Dresden University of Technology, Int'l Max Planck Research School
- Experimental Diabetology, Department of Medicine III, Dresden University of Technology & MPI-CBG
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This manuscript is a preprint. A published version is available at:
http://dx.doi.org/10.2741/3218 (Peer Reviewed) Frontiers in Bioscience 13, 7156-7171, May 1, 2008- Document Type:
- Manuscript
- Date:
- Received 02 June 2008 11:26 UTC; Posted 09 June 2008
- Subjects:
- Molecular Cell Biology
- Abstract:
Taken together the Islets of Langerhans form a nutrient sensing network spread throughout the pancreas. They are tightly connected to the source organ – the intestine – and the target organs – liver, muscle, and fat cells. The expression of a unique set of proteins enables β cells, the most frequent islet cell type, to detect elevated blood glucose levels and secrete insulin accordingly. Neighbouring β-cells achieve tighter regulation of glucose-induced insulin secretion by coordination through cell surface proteins. They also adjust their secretory pathway capacity and flow to avoid being damaged. The immediate reaction of the β cell to nutrients is regulated by translational mechanisms, while longer term adaptations involve changes in transcription. Glucose increases protein synthesis in the β cell overall and especially that of some secretory proteins including insulin. This effect may be mediated through recognition of RNA motifs in the untranslated regions of those messengers. Failure of essential molecular components of the nutrient sensing system due to mutation or weakness paired with cellular stress can lead to dysfunctions, which on a larger scale manifest as diseases like diabetes mellitus.
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- This document is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License
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Suckale, Jakob and Solimena, Michele. Pancreas islets in metabolic signaling – focus on the β-cell. Available from Nature Precedings <http://hdl.handle.net/10101/npre.2008.1724.2> (2008)
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Published version:
http://dx.doi.org/10.2741/3218 (Peer Reviewed) Frontiers in Bioscience 13, 7156-7171, May 1, 2008 -
Other versions of this document in Nature Precedings
Version number Document title Date v1 Posted 27 March 2008 Other versions of this document elsewhere on the web
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Anandwardhan Hardikar on 16 December 2008 07:48 UTC
This article presents a nice review of species differences in structure and function of the islets of Langerhand. The graphical illustrations and overall quality of this review is impressive. Thank you for this nice contribution.
Best wishes!