Optogenetic β cell interrogation in vivo reveals a functional hierarchy directing the Ca²⁺ response to glucose supported by vitamin B6.

ABSTRACT: Coordination of cellular activity through Ca²⁺ enables β cells to secrete precise quantities of insulin. To explore how the Ca²⁺ response is orchestrated in space and time, we implement optogenetic systems to probe the role of individual β cells in the glucose response. By targeted β cell activation/inactivation in zebrafish, we reveal a hierarchy of cells, each with a different level of influence over islet-wide Ca²⁺ dynamics. First-responder β cells lie at the top of the hierarchy, essential for initiating the first-phase Ca²⁺ response. Silencing first responders impairs the Ca²⁺ response to glucose. Conversely, selective activation of first responders demonstrates their increased capability to raise pan-islet Ca²⁺ levels

SUBMITTER: Delgadillo-Silva LF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11204215 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature