Pancreatic islet alpha cell commands itself: secrete more glucagon!
Glucagon release by pancreatic alpha cells is stimulated by low glucose through unclear mechanisms. In this issue of Cell Metabolism, Cabrera et al. (2008) show that glutamate released from alpha cells acts on glutamate receptors in a positive autocrine fashion that drives glucagon secretion during small physiological fluctuations of blood glucose.
Gaisano
Herbert Y
HY
Department of Medicine and Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada. herbert.gaisano@utoronto.ca
Leung
Yuk M
YM
D019898:Autocrine Communication; D001786:Blood Glucose; D005934:Glucagon / Q000378:metabolism*; D050416:Glucagon-Secreting Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D006801:Humans
D001786:Blood Glucose; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005934:Glucagon