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α-Cells are dispensable in postnatal morphogenesis and maturation of mouse pancreatic islets.
- Source :
-
American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism [Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab] 2013 Oct 15; Vol. 305 (8), pp. E1030-40. Date of Electronic Publication: 2013 Aug 27. - Publication Year :
- 2013
-
Abstract
- Glucagon-producing α-cells are the second-most abundant cell type in the islet. Whereas α-cells make up less than 20% of the cells in a mature mouse islet, they occupy a much larger proportion of the pancreatic endocrine cell population during the early postnatal period, the time when morphological and functional maturation occurs to form adult islets. To determine whether α-cells have a role in postnatal islet development, a diphtheria toxin-mediated α-cell ablation mouse model was established. Rapid and persistent depletion of α-cells was achieved by daily injection of the toxin for 2 wk starting at postnatal day 1 (P1). Total pancreatic glucagon content in the α-cell-ablated mice was undetectable at P14 and still less than 0.3% of that of the control mice at 4 mo of age. Histological analyses revealed that formation of spherical islets occurred normally, and the islet size distribution was not changed despite the near-total lack of α-cells. Furthermore, there were no differences in expression of β-cell maturation marker proteins, including urocortin 3 and glucose transporter 2, in the α-cell-ablated islets at P14. Mice lacking α-cells grew normally and appeared healthy. Both glucose and insulin tolerance tests demonstrated that the α-cell-ablated mice had normal glucose homeostasis. These results indicate that α-cells do not play a critical role in postnatal islet morphogenesis or functional maturation of β-cells.
- Subjects :
- Ablation Techniques
Animals
Animals, Newborn
Biomarkers metabolism
Exons
Female
Glucagon chemistry
Glucagon genetics
Glucose Transporter Type 2 metabolism
Hypertrophy
Hypoglycemia etiology
Insulin-Secreting Cells cytology
Insulin-Secreting Cells metabolism
Islets of Langerhans cytology
Islets of Langerhans surgery
Luminescent Proteins chemistry
Luminescent Proteins metabolism
Male
Mice
Mice, Transgenic
Pancreas pathology
Peptide Fragments chemistry
Peptide Fragments genetics
Peptide Fragments metabolism
Promoter Regions, Genetic
Recombinant Fusion Proteins metabolism
Urocortins metabolism
Glucagon metabolism
Glucagon-Secreting Cells physiology
Islets of Langerhans growth & development
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1522-1555
- Volume :
- 305
- Issue :
- 8
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 23982158
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpendo.00022.2013