The insulin receptor talks to glucagon?
Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is not only a disorder of impaired insulin secretion but also glucagon oversecretion. However, the link between the two remains unclear. Is it possible that the latter is a consequence of the former? In this issue, Kawamori et al. (2009) have addressed this question by generating alpha cell-specific insulin receptor knockout mice.
Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 100 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. jesper.gromada@novartis.com
Jesper
J
Gromada
Alokesh
A
Duttaroy
Patrik
P
Rorsman
D000818:Animals; D005934:Glucagon / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D050416:Glucagon-Secreting Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007328:Insulin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D009928:Organ Specificity; D011972:Receptor, Insulin / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
D007328:Insulin; D005934:Glucagon; D011972:Receptor, Insulin