title: Elemental composition of secretory granules in pancreatic islets of Langerhans.
abstract: We have characterized, by electron probe microanalysis, rapidly frozen cultured rat islets at the level of individual secretory granules. Elemental analysis of thin, dried cryosections showed that beta granules could be distinguished by high Zn, Ca, and S, whereas non-beta (mainly alpha) granules contained elevated P and Mg. Although a single granule type predominated in a particular cell, some rebel granules were found in A cells that had the compositional fingerprint of B cell granules. Zn, which was found in millimolar concentrations in B cell granules, was considered a marker for the insulin storage complex. The data indicate that non-B islet cells in the adult pancreas may produce insulin-containing organelles and that, when glucagon and insulin are coexpressed, these hormones are packaged in separate granules.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, State University of New York, Stony Brook 11794-8480.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Leapman
authors.forename: M X
authors.initials: MX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Atwater
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D004602:Elements; D005629:Frozen Sections; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D004602:Elements