Differential expression of glucagon and glucagon-like peptide 1 receptors in mouse pancreatic alpha and beta cells in two models of alpha cell hyperplasia.

ABSTRACT: Glucose homeostasis is determined by a balance between insulin and glucagon, produced by beta and alpha cells of the pancreas respectively. The levels of circulating hormones is partly determined by the mass of these two endocrine cell types. However, in contrast to beta cells, the identity of the signals regulating alpha cell number is not known. Mice with a global deletion of the glucagon receptor (Gcgr-/-) and mice with ablation of prohormone convertase 2 (PC2), the enzyme involved in the conversion of proglucagon into mature glucagon, develop alpha cell hyperplasia. These observations and the fact that Gcgr-/- mice exhibit high levels of circulating glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) suggested that members of the glucagon family of peptides could be directly involved in the regulation of

SUBMITTER: Kedees MH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2743461 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature