Expression of neurexin, neuroligin, and their cytoplasmic binding partners in the pancreatic beta-cells and the involvement of neuroligin in insulin secretion.

ABSTRACT: The composition of the beta-cell exocytic machinery is very similar to that of neuronal synapses, and the developmental pathway of beta-cells and neurons substantially overlap. beta-Cells secrete gamma-aminobutyric acid and express proteins that, in the brain, are specific markers of inhibitory synapses. Recently, neuronal coculture experiments have identified three families of synaptic cell-surface molecules (neurexins, neuroligins, and SynCAM) that drive synapse formation in vitro and that control the differentiation of nascent synapses into either excitatory or inhibitory fully mature nerve terminals. The inhibitory synapse-like character of the beta-cells led us to hypothesize that members of these families of synapse-inducing adhesion molecules would be expressed in beta-cells and tha

SUBMITTER: Suckow AT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2613060 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature