Insulin secretion from beta cells in intact mouse islets is targeted towards the vasculature.

ABSTRACT:

Aims/hypothesis

We set out to test the hypothesis that insulin secretion from beta cells is targeted towards the vasculature.

Methods

The spatial location of granule fusion was identified by live-cell two-photon imaging of mouse pancreatic beta cells within intact islets, using sulforhodamine B labelling. Three-dimensional (3D) immunofluorescence of pancreatic slices was used to identify the location of proteins associated with neuronal synapses.

Results

We demonstrated an asymmetric, non-random, distribution of sites of insulin granule fusion in response to glucose and focal targeting of insulin granule secretion to the beta cell membrane facing the vasculature. 3D immunofluorescence of islets showed that structural proteins, such as liprin, piccolo and Rab2-interact

SUBMITTER: Low JT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4079948 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature