Endogenous beta-cell CART regulates insulin secretion and transcription of beta-cell genes

ADP regulation of insulin secretion and beta-cell apoptosis

...................................................................................................... 8 LIST OF PAPERS .......................................................................................... 10 ABBREVIATIONS ......................................................................................... 1

beta-cell-specific expression of insulin and PDX-1 genes.

Pancreatic beta cell heterogeneity in glucose-induced insulin secretion.

Rat pancreatic beta cells differ in their individual sensitivity to glucose-inducible metabolic changes. The present study examines whether beta cells with a higher metabolic threshold require higher glucose levels for stimulation of their secretory activity. Purified beta cells were distributed according to their metabolic redox state at 7.5 mM glucose; the metabolically responsive (high respo...

CART knock out mice have impaired insulin secretion and glucose intolerance, altered beta cell morphology and increased body weight.

CART peptides are anorexigenic and are widely expressed in the central and peripheral nervous systems, as well as in endocrine cells in the pituitary, adrenal medulla and the pancreatic islets. To study the role of CART in islet function, we used CART null mutant mice (CART KO mice) and examined insulin secretion in vivo and in vitro, and expression of islet hormones and markers of beta-cell fu...

Insulin resistance and pancreatic beta cell failure.

It is now well accepted that diabetes mellitus is one of the main threats to human health in the twenty-first century. The total number of people with diabetes worldwide was estimated at between 151 million and 171 million in 2000 and is projected to increase to 221 million in 2010 and to 366 million in 2030. Needless to say, the increase in the number of people with diabetes will be accompanie...